Maze of Moments
by njborba
Summary: A collection of moments in the lives of Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss. Each chapter is an individual story.
1. White

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

**Note:**  
Challenge: to use 100 prompts and write 100 stand-alone stories that will be centered on Derek, Emily or Derek/Emily. Each story will be titled with the prompt word/words. These prompts may determine the overall theme of the story, or may just be used within the story in some small way. There is no order to these tales, hence the set title: _Maze of Moments_. Feel free to read a few or all, and help cheer me on toward my goal if you'd like. Most importantly, I hope you will find something here to enjoy!

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**White**

By  
N. J. Borba

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She looked at herself in the mirror, feeling a little out of place in the long satiny dress. It made her feel both ridiculous and giddy at the same time. But she'd been experiencing a whole host of conflicting feelings ever since Derek Morgan had proposed to her. A year ago... even six months ago she never could have imagined her life ending up where it was currently. In love with a great man and picking out fairytale dresses. Emily was a long way from the bookworm adolescent girl she'd been, even further away from the defiant, slightly out-of-control, teenager she'd turned into. And most definitely a goodly distance from the take-no-prisoners FBI profiler she'd become over the last five years.

"How do you like this one?" the boutique attendant asked.

"It's..." Emily pressed her lips together and screwed up her face in contemplation. Then she relaxed and let a breath out. "It's very white."

"Most wedding gowns are white, ma'am," the older woman replied. "Usually some variation of white or cream."

Emily nodded as she ran her hands over the fabric at her sides. The design fit her like a glove and the silk felt like a dream against her skin. "I know, but isn't there some tradition where the bride is only supposed to wear white at her wedding if she's a virgin?" she queried.

"I, well..." the seamstress bit her lip nervously. "Yes, I suppose that is..."

The small dressing room's curtain was drawn back and Emily spied him behind her from her vantage point in front of the mirror. "Don't mind her," Morgan leaned against the fiberglass partition. "Profilers are famous for thinking things to death," he grinned, eyeing the attendant. "Could you give us a few minutes?"

"Certainly, sir," the woman nodded, and practically curtsied, before exiting the space.

"You know," Emily caught his eye in the mirror. "I think there's another tradition where the groom is not supposed to see the bride in her dress before the wedding ceremony," she pointed out.

He chuckled and used one hand to close the curtain, hiding them away from anyone else in the store. "Now you've suddenly gone all traditional on me?" Derek moved in closer until he was standing just behind her. He snaked his arms around her waist and rested his chin against her shoulder, feeling the smooth fabric of the narrow shoulder strap against his skin. "Do you remember that six-month-old baby girl we left with your parents this afternoon, you know... the one with my eyes and your smile? I'd say that chapter of our lives was rather untraditional."

"Very true," she acknowledged, thinking back over the years. Somewhere along the line their working relationship had turned into a physical one, then a loving one and thirdly... into parenthood, without much warning at all. It had all happened so fast that the idea of marriage had sort of gotten lost in the shuffle. Not that Emily minded too much, she actually liked their life quite well without the ties of heavy commitment that marriage brought. But the morning their daughter had been born, something shifted in both their hearts. That little living, breathing connection between them had cemented their love and made them want more. Made them want it all.

Derek softly kissed her neck, just beneath her right ear. He tugged gently at her earlobe and whispered. "So, why is it taking you so dang long to pick a dress? I think the whole white virgin tradition flew out the window a long time before we ever dared to challenge it," he uttered.

She sighed. "Maybe so. I guess..." Emily closed her eyes for a moment and reveled in his tender touch. "I just never thought I'd be getting married."

"Never?" he asked.

"Never," she replied.

He didn't seem upset or worried about that answer, just curious. "Why not?"

Emily shrugged. "I'm not really sure. I pictured going to college, working for the FBI, promotions... retirement. I guess I focused so much on those things, I let everything else slide. And then as I got older I just resigned to the fact that it would never be a priority."

"Sounds kind of sad, Em," he stepped back just a hair and placed his hands at her waist. "But this..." Derek caressed the fabric beneath his fingertips and let free a low, appreciate growl. "This dress is amazing, and you're going to stand in front of all our friends and family and vow to be my loving, dutiful wifey in this dress. And then," he leaned in again and whispered something more in her ear.

Her eyes rolled and she swatted his hands away. "First of all," she reached down and grabbed the price book off of a nearby chair. "If I'm going to spend this much money on a dress," Emily pointed to the dollar amount and watched his eyebrows raise. She let the book fall back onto the chair. "You will not be ripping any part of it off me."

"Well, in that case..." he spun her around and pressed his lips to hers, drawing out a long sensuous kiss. When he pulled away, Morgan leaned his forehead against hers. "I guess I'll have to slowly, gracefully, meticulously, peal it off your body and then do those others things I mentioned."

Despite her best efforts, her cheeks flushed and she felt her body ache with need like the first time they'd made love. Emily took a slow steady breath. "Second," she began again. "It you ever call me dutiful again, I'll deck you," Emily pushed him away and turned to look at herself in the mirror again.

"How about wifey?" he teased. "Can I still call you wifey?"

She grinned and nodded. "I'm just not sure about this one," Emily made a half turn to the right and examined the dress further. "I wonder if they have something in blue, or maybe red... I mean, since we've already established the non-traditional aspect of our relationship."

Morgan backed toward the curtain. "Emily, get that one," he pointed at the dress that hugged her curves and made him want to rip it off her all the more, the longer he admired her. He pushed the curtain open again and emphasized his point once more. "Get the white one."

Emily quirked her lips to one side as she stared in the mirror. The dress still felt ridiculously out of place on her, but also... right. Just the way she felt in Derek's arms.

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**End**


	2. Children

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Children**

By  
N. J. Borba

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She laid there in the comfy bed, still caught up somewhere between being fully awake and lost in dreamland. Emily let the soft cotton sheets caress her body as she remembered Derek's gift to her the night before. Not that it could really be called a gift since it was a dance they performed almost every night. Even five years of marriage still hadn't diminished their sex life. Nor had two bundles of joy. She heard one of those bundles as she kept her eyes closed. But her four-year-old son's idea of a whisper would be considered a regular speaking voice to most people. Emily heard Derek shush the child as their footsteps grew closer. She did her best not to chuckle or even form a smile, hoping they'd think she was still asleep.

Before long the other side of the bed shifted a little and she knew the culprit, the same one that had been the source of that non-whispery voice. Emily waited as the child grew nearer and then she sat up and reached forward, snatching the little boy and pulling him close. "Gotcha, buddy!" she exclaimed while tickling his tummy and listening to the resultant squeals of delight.

"We thought you was sleeping, mommy," the boy told her in between laughing and attempting to squirm away from her. "Daddy said be quiet so we don't wake you and we can make pancakes and surprise you!"

Emily stopped her tickle attack, kissed her son's forehead and then situated the boy beside her. She looked up at Derek who had a tray balanced on one hand and their baby girl securely tucked under his other arm. She glanced down at the boy again. "You made me pancakes? Is it a special occasion or something?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yep, it's Mommy's Day!"

"It is?" she pretended not to know.

The boy rolled his eyes, a trick he'd learned from both his parents. "Mommy, you being silly?"

Derek laughed, watching mother and son interact. "Yes, she's being silly, Sam," he answered, facing his wife with a quizzical look. "So, which present do you want first, left arm?" Morgan nodded his head toward the tray of breakfast. "Or right?" he asked, leaning forward to kiss his little girl atop her head. "Because I don't think I can put either one down without dropping the other. I'm actually not sure how I picked them both up at the same time."

She grinned and reached for her daughter. "I think I'll have some of this pumpkin before my pancakes." Emily extracted the ten-month-old girl who was still clad in her pink and white striped pajamas. She kissed one of the baby's chubby cheeks and Sam joined in, kissing his little sister's other cheek. The girl's laughter flooded the bedroom as Derek put the tray down.

Morgan moved to Emily's right side and nudged her over so she was sandwiched between him and their son. "I'm a little jealous," he let her know. "I think everyone has gotten a kiss this morning except for me," Derek made a small pout form upon his lips.

Emily leaned toward him, her lips just a breath away from his. "Well, it is Mother's Day, not Father's Day," she teased, sitting back without kissing him.

"Oh, yeah," he reached out and tickled her side, causing her to squirm away. "You wouldn't be mommy to these two if not for me, woman," Morgan playfully attacked her and the girl in her arms.

Sam jumped up and leapt onto his father. "I'll save you mommy and Annie!" he shouted, wrapping his arms around Derek's neck. Father and son wrestled for a moment as mother and daughter watched their shenanigans.

"Hey, hey, hey..." Emily finally called a stop to the ruckus play as she imagined their bed was about to break under the pressure Derek's playfulness, which often got out of control where his son was concerned. "If you children keep this up, my special breakfast is going to end up on the floor. And mommy does not clean carpets on Mother's Day. So, you both will get that duty," she concluded.

They settled instantly upon hearing that. Derek drew the tray closer so they could all enjoy the meal he and Sam had prepared, blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup and fresh strawberries and orange juice. It was a feast that stuffed them all, but the day had barely begun. Derek had a trip to the zoo planned, followed by a visit to see her parents where they were going to leave the kids and then have a quiet dinner out together. After their breakfast was finished, Derek kept the kids occupied so Emily could take a long bath. He found her an hour later in their bedroom, seated on the bed and wrapped in her robe. Morgan was worried about her downcast face, wondering what was up. He sat beside her.

"What's wrong?" Morgan asked. "Breakfast didn't agree with you?"

"I loved breakfast." She looked over at him, trying to pull on a smile. "It's just that every Mother's Day I feel like... it kind of feels wrong that I should be pampered."

"Why wouldn't we want to pamper you, Em? You're a great mom," Derek insisted, though she wasn't usually one who needed accolades. "Sam and Annie love you more than any kids ever could. You're the one they cling to when they're sick, which may not make you happy, but it makes them feel better. And you're the one they go to first when they need an owie kissed. They like the way you read bedtime stories better than me. And they rarely ever come to me just to cuddle, like they do with you."

A small smile formed and she nodded. "I know, and I can't imagine my life without them. But it still makes me think about..."

He suddenly knew what she was talking about, the deeply buried secret she'd been afraid to tell him for a long time. She hadn't confided in him about the child she'd aborted as a teenager, until the day they found out she was pregnant with Sam. And he'd done his best over the years to let her know no one blamed her for what she'd done. But he could see now that it was always teetering at the edge of her mind, even more so on a day like today. "Em, listen to me, okay?"

"Derek you don't have to..."

"Just listen, please?" he asked. When she silently nodded, Morgan continued. "I don't know if you can ever forgive yourself for what happened when you were fifteen, but I hope so. Because you have been forgiven, twice over, in the form of our children," he concluded.

"You always know the right thing to say," she replied, leaning in to steal a brief kiss.

He smiled. "I love you, Emily, so do our kids. And we are going to spoil you today whether you like it or not, and every Mother's Day in the future."

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**End**


	3. Horrible

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Horrible**

By  
N. J. Borba

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It started with a lost child who died before they could save her.

Emily stared down at the body, the victim, the girl. She had a name. Lisa Johnson. She had a pet cat, and a younger brother. She had two parents who would mourn her loss and never be the same, all because the BAU had failed. Because they hadn't been fast enough. Her ten-year-old spirit had been ripped away without warning, now reduced to being a carcass in a ripped nightgown, clutching her stuffed bear, lying in the woods only a mile from her home. The finality Emily saw in the child's eyes...

It was too much.

Emily ran away from the horrible scene.

xxx

It ended with her best friend who held her close while she cried.

Derek found her behind a tree. She was crouched down low at the base of the old Douglas fir; leaning her head against the creviced bark. She was hiding, sobbing. He had rarely seen her lose her cool, a trembling voice here and a disgusted look there. But he'd never watched her completely break down the way she just had. He understood why, though. Derek knew that she saw the face of their daughter in that dead girl; their little angel who would turn a year old in just three days. The pain he witnessed in Emily's eyes...

It was too much.

He comforted her as best he could amidst the horrible scene.

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**End**


	4. Beginnings

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Beginnings**

By  
N. J. Borba

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Derek leaned against her kitchen counter and watched as she opened a bottle of cabernet sauvignon and poured two glasses of the fragrant liquid. He tried very hard to scrub his mind's eye of all the horrible images from the last few days. Most of them were merely conjured images, things he'd only heard and not seen. The main event being her beating at the hands of Benjamin Cyrus. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since their rescue, but the sounds of that attack still sent shivers down his spin.

"Maybe you shouldn't be drinking?" his words came out in the form of a question, not wanting to sound too much like he was lecturing her.

"I had the shit beaten out of me, Morgan. I'm not pregnant," Emily replied.

He nodded. "Right... but I was just thinking more along the lines of mixing alcohol and pain medication. Usually not the best combo."

"Well, you don't have to worry," she handed him a glass. "Because I'm not taking anything for pain."

"Oh?" Derek's brow arched. "Tough guy act, huh?"

She shook her head. "No, tough girl," Emily smiled, though it hurt a little to do so. "Pain meds always make me feel far too loopy. Whereas red wine just gives me that nice, happy and numb feeling."

Morgan chuckled as they moved toward the sofa in her living room. It was all new territory for him, having never set foot in her place before. He found it to be very tidy, warm even, but not terribly personal. There was fancy artwork on the walls, but no real photographs from what he could see. He watched as she sat down, bending her legs so that she was sitting on them. The wine glass in her hand settled against the sofa's arm. Morgan was glad for the fact that she felt home in the place, even if it still seemed a bit stark to him. He had to shake all those thoughts from his head, trying not to profile her. But, without that to fall back on, Derek's thoughts returned to Colorado and the events that had occurred there. The hand not holding his glass of wine balled into a tight fist.

"Are you all right?" Emily asked, seeing the tension in his shoulders and the bunched skin in the corners of his eyes. He clearly looked upset about something.

"I should be the one asking you that," he replied, taking a shallow breath as he tried to relax. Morgan had never been good at sharing his feelings with people, not even those closest to him, but he wanted her to know how much it had hurt him thinking that she and Reid might die. "It's just... listening to what Cyrus did to you," he sighed. "It sounded bad, and..."

She stopped him before he could continue. "I'd do it all again if it meant protecting Reid. And I know you would've done the same thing for him, or anyone else on the team. I also knew that Cyrus wasn't going to confide in me the same way he might have with Reid. I understood I was the one who needed to take a fall in order for us to try and save all those innocent people," she concluded.

"Guess I can't argue with any of that, can I?" He shrugged, watching the crimson colored wine swish around in his glass. Morgan wasn't a huge fan of wine, at least not the way she seemed to be. He was more a beer and denim guy, while she'd grown up with wine and silk. But, sitting beside her, listening to her talk about what had to be done, Derek realized they weren't all that different in the end. "I just wish it hadn't been you," he blurted out.

"Why?" she asked. "I do my job just the same as everyone else on the team. We all know the dangers."

He nodded. "I know that, it's just..." Morgan paused, looking her in the eye. Something behind those dark pools was beckoning to him, almost daring him. The words finally escaped his lips in a quick breath, "I care about you."

Emily smiled, though her lips remained in a thin, nearly straight, line. "I care about you too, Morgan." In her second breath, she added, "I care about everyone on the team."

Morgan sighed and leaned to his right, setting the glass of wine down on her coffee table. He turned to face her again. Derek didn't think any other woman in the world had ever caused him such conflicting emotions. But when he looked at her, his heart both melted and froze in the same instant. "What I'm really trying to say here is that I care about you as more than just a member of the team. You're one of my best friends, but more than that too," he revealed.

"I know," she nodded, the thin smile curling her lips just a little.

Derek blinked back his surprise. "What do you mean, you know?" Her words weren't even close to the response he'd been expecting.

"I'm not blind, Morgan," Emily eased into an explanation as she swirled the deep-red wine in her glass. "I get that you most likely know how to flirt in your sleep, so those interactions between us were probably just your way of being friendly. But there've been other times, other things that..." she sighed. "There were signs," Emily concluded without further detail.

"Really?" he asked, watching her head bob ever-so-slightly. "So, why didn't you ever..."

Her smile broadened another fraction of an inch. "First, because we work together," she stated the obvious. "Second, because I suck at relationships... and I really like you and don't want to lose you as a friend. People break up and say things like: let's still be friends. But honestly, when does that ever work? Not often," she asked and answered her own question.

All Derek had really heard in there was the bit about how she really liked him. It led him to abandon all practicalities as he scooted toward her, cupped the back of her neck with his left hand and drew her forward. Emily tried to stuff down her surprise as his lips found hers. She also tried not to spill wine on her carpet as she sightlessly sat her glass down on the end table behind her. Without distractions, she was able to enjoy the moment. His kiss was both gentle and devouring in the same instant. Soft lips caressed hers as his tongue tenderly explored the new terrain.

Emily sat back, breath hitched. The hand behind her neck slid down her arm and rested against her waist. "Ouch," she whispered.

"Ouch?" he frowned a little. "Not exactly the reaction I was hoping for after our first kiss." Derek watched her point to the cut on her lip. "I know," he grinned. "I was just teasing you." Morgan let his other hand snake around her waist. He reclined against the sofa and pulled her down beside him.

"This isn't exactly the romantic beginning I pictured for us," she lamented, curling up in his embrace and feeling like she had always been meant to be there.

He carefully rested his chin atop her head, letting one hand gently rake its way through her dark hair. "So, you've pictured us together before?" Morgan asked. "I thought you said you didn't want to ruin our friendship."

She smiled, happily resting her head against his warm chest. "Doesn't mean a girl can't fantasize," Emily whispered, allowing the dull ache in her body to be carried away not by pain medication, or even alcohol, but by his soothing breath against her ear.

"Don't worry," Derek kissed her forehead softly. "Any beginning with you is a good one."

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**End**


	5. Yellow

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Yellow**

By  
N. J. Borba

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It had never been one of her favorite colors.

Emily liked most colors in the spectrum, though she certainly preferred red. But blues and greens were good as well. Black, white, gray, even purple and some shades of orange... all had always been welcome in her life. But yellow? Yellow never seemed to remind her of anything other than mustard. And Emily had always hated that condiment for some strange reason that she still couldn't seem to explain.

But, when they'd found out she was pregnant, both she and Derek swore they didn't want to know if it was a girl or a boy before the hour of its birth. And somehow Derek had convinced her that yellow was the best unisex color, even though she protested and lobbied for a pale shade of green. She won, for the most part. The nursery had been painted green, with white furniture and just a few small yellow accents. The biggest of those small items was a lemony yellow receiving blanket that Emily had folded and buried in the bottom drawer of the baby's dresser.

When little Morgan junior finally made a grand entrance into the world at the very last hour of the very last day of the year, and turned out to be a boy, even Derek had to agree that putting yellow on his son didn't feel quite right. Pretty much everything they bought after that for the littlest member of the Morgan clan was either a hue of green or blue, with a few browns, blacks and whites tossed in for good measure.

By the time the boy turned eighteen months he was already walking, and then running not long after. He was a handful and a half, always getting into things. And he somehow managed to get into that bottom dresser drawer of his and found that yellow blanket one day. Emily had been surprised to see him dragging it behind, barely even remembering that she'd purchased the item almost two years previous. But her son knew it existed and he became attached to it from that moment forward.

She tried bribery to get it away from him, offering toys and games, even cookies and juice in copious amounts. However, nothing seemed good enough in comparison to that soft, yellow blanket. At one point, Emily even took it while he was sleeping and tossed it in the trash. But junior had not been amused at all. He'd cried for hours on end, calling out for the blanket as tears rolled down his chubby cheeks, until Emily couldn't take it any longer. She'd plucked it from the trash, threw it in the wash and from that moment on he'd had it no more than a foot from his side at all times.

Now, at age five, the poor blanket was worn and faded. But the boy loved it just as much, or more.

Even Emily had grown to love the darn thing, seeing it as a sign of her son's devotion and affection. He was definitely the most loving child she had ever known, though still stubborn to the core, too. As she stood now, in the archway between their living room and kitchen, Emily watched as that yellow blanket was used as a door for the fort Derek and their baby boy had built out of sofa cushions. In the next instant it became a cape for their child, transforming him into a super hero as Derek held him up high above his head and made him fly around the room.

Emily knew that later that night, the yellow blanket would be balled up tight under her son's head. It would help him fall asleep and greet him the next morning with its familiar presence. Somehow, a small baby blanket had become his best friend. It was actually one of the sweetest things Emily could imagine. And she took great care to sew the rips and clean the stains that the piece of beloved cloth obtained from time to time. She was happy to do so for her son.

The color yellow had wiggled its way into her heart. Just like Derek. And just like their son. Yellow had become the sunny pigment she identified with her family.

It was her favorite color.

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**End**


	6. Insides

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Insides**

By  
N. J. Borba

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Emily waddled into the kitchen and propped herself against a counter. She didn't think she'd ever waddled in her life, but up until a year ago her life had never been so waddle-worthy. And as she watched Derek putting away clean dishes, Emily couldn't help enjoying the domestic life they'd created together. She grabbed a banana from the bowl on the counter and admired the view as he bent over to fish a pan out of the bottom rack of the dish washer. Her left hand came to rest upon the very round swell of her belly as she munched on the post-nap snack. But the heat of the afternoon was already causing little beads of sweat to pool in unusual places.

As much as Emily enjoyed watching the domestic side of her... well, she still wasn't exactly sure what to call Derek. They weren't married, much to her parent's and his mother's chagrin. And calling each other boyfriend and girlfriend seemed far too juvenile at their age. She could certainly think of plenty things to call him in the privacy of their own home, but at the moment, the combination of heat and baby making hormones was causing her brain to melt a little. And Emily lost her whole train of thought as she went in search of a place where she could get off her feet again.

Derek turned around just in time to watch her plunk down on a kitchen chair. He abandoned his chore for a moment and pulled up a seat right beside Emily, leaning in to kiss her. "How was your nap?"

"It was okay, but a bit too warm for proper sleep," she fanned her face with a copy of Dwell magazine, which had been lying on the table, and rubbed the left side of her stomach. "Whose bright idea was it to be this pregnant during the hottest east-coast summer on record?"

Morgan chuckled. "I don't think it's the hottest. And I do believe the baby idea was all yours," he teased.

"Oh, really?" Emily glared at him. "So..." she pointed to her belly. "This baby just magically got in here all by itself?" Her eyes rolled as she reached out to slap his shoulder with the magazine. But she missed by a mile, not able to reach very far past her protruding stomach.

Derek dodged her swat, but stole another kiss. He grinned like a fool as both his hands rested atop her belly. "Seriously..." he leaned down and kissed the cotton fabric stretched snuggly over her stomach. "I want to take credit for this miracle of life." His right hand rubbed against a bumpy spot and he screwed his face up in thought for a second. "Is that a foot?" he guessed.

She smiled, reclining in the chair and propping her feet up on his lap. "Nope," Emily shook her head. "Definitely an elbow."

"Are you sure?" he asked, feeling the spot again. "It could be a foot."

"Trust me," she took hold of Derek's hand and moved it so it was further up her torso and just under her left breast. "His feet have been digging in right here under my ribcage for the last day or so," Emily explained. "I swear my insides will never be the same after this. I'm pretty sure my stomach is where my heart is supposed to be and my liver might be somewhere close to my ears right now, for all I know."

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Morgan replied as he let his hands keep exploring the terrain of her pregnant belly.

Emily shook her head. "No exaggerating going on here," she insisted. "But..." her hand grabbed hold of his again and she guided it downward, somewhat toward her left hip bone. "That's his head right there," Emily let him know.

His eyes lit up. "Does that mean..."

She nodded an affirmative. "At today's check up…"

"Oh, Em," Derek's face fell. "I can't believe I completely forgot about the check-up. When we got back from Utah this morning, Hotch wanted me to finish the write-up for the Douglas case and then I had to..." he knew the excuses would probably not make a difference. "I'm really sorry. I did want to be there for you... for both of you."

"It's okay," she could see the regret in his eyes and it made her feel bad. Emily honestly wasn't upset. "You've been to a lot of the check-ups, Derek, more than I thought you'd be able to make. And this one was pretty quick, you really didn't miss much. Anyhow, the doctor said baby is already getting into position and things should be happening soon," she beamed.

Morgan grinned too, relieved that she wasn't mad and thrilled that things were progressing so swiftly. The first few months had seemed to drag on and on, but the last few were flying by. "How soon?" He was also a little bit scared, not really knowing what to expect about suddenly having a baby in the house and in their lives. But he was definitely more excited than scared.

She shrugged. "Technically my due date is still two weeks away, but she said it could be sooner, even within the next few days. Of course she also said that first babies are usually late, so he might just be teasing us in this position."

The smile on his face grew as he continued to rub her belly. "One way or another, we're going to be parents real soon."

Emily nodded, echoing his cheery grin. "Yes," she concluded.

A jumble of thoughts tumbled around in his head for a few minutes. "Hotch approved my paternity leave, I get two full weeks to welcome junior into the world," he let her know. "Which is great and all, but... well, I was kind of thinking about something," Derek paused, not sure if he should even bring it up or not. But he realized it was something he'd really like. "I thought maybe we could tag-team the job for a while."

"Tag-team?" she wasn't sure what he meant by that.

"I mean at the BAU," Morgan clarified. "We could each work some of the cases, but also be sure that one of us would be here to watch over the little guy at all times. Basically we'd both be working part-time. I think Hotch might go for it. We could at least talk to him about it. I just... I'm afraid I'm going to miss out on so much. But if you want to do the full time mommy thing that's cool too," he offered.

"Yeah, I do want to do the full time mommy thing, at least for the first several months," Emily revealed. "I want to breast feed and... correction, I want to try and breast feed. I know that doesn't always work out. But maybe in a few months we can think about this tag-team idea of yours. I definitely like the idea of one us always being with him," she was touched that he'd thought of it.

"Good," Derek nodded. "So..." he carefully removed her feet from his lap, stood up and moved toward the dishwasher to finish his previous task. "What do you want for dinner tonight? I'll make you anything you'd like, anything within my cooking repertoire that is," he winked.

"Meaning, my choice of canned soup and grilled cheese," Emily chuckled. She got up and went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist as well as she could with baby stuck between them. "Why don't we order something and just relax tonight. We're not going to get many more evenings alone."

He leaned down and kissed her. "I like that plan."

* * *

**End**


	7. Outsides

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

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**Outsides**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily reclined on the sofa in their living room and closed her eyes as Derek's hands expertly worked out all the sore spots on her feet. They were swollen and having to support a bit more weight than usual, due to the baby on board in her belly. She reopened her eyes a few minutes later and watched as Morgan continued his gentle ministrations. He had been extremely attentive throughout her whole pregnancy, but even more so the last few weeks as her due date drew nearer. And tonight he'd done his best to be home early so he could clean up the place and order dinner, not wanting her to worry about doing anything.

She was in serious nesting mode, though, and had already spent a goodly part of the day scrubbing floors, walls and whatever other surface she could find. Not to mention, she'd arranged and rearranged every article of baby paraphernalia nearly ten different times in the last five days. Emily just wanted everything to be perfect. But she was slowly coming to realized that the baby wouldn't give a damn about any of those things. All he really needed was them to take care of his every requirement. And there was one thing he would need, first and foremost. One thing they still hadn't settled on.

"How about... Richard?" Derek asked.

She wrinkled her nose a little. "It's too proper."

"Okay, Daniel?"

"Nope," Emily shook her head. "Too common."

He sighed. "So, you don't want proper or common," Derek mentally checked off those boxes in his head, knowing they'd been putting off a name discussion for far too long. "What exactly are you going for? Because we have a few weeks at the most, and maybe less according to what you told me earlier tonight. And, I don't know about you, but I'd really rather not leave the hospital with just baby boy Morgan on this little guy's birth certificate."

"I'm thinking not too common, but not too obscure either. And maybe something more traditional, like Jack and Henry... you know, more of an old fashioned name, but not stuffy. Richard is stuffy," Emily shrugged, realizing that her preferences were a bit convoluted. "How about your dad's name?" she finally suggested.

It was his turn to frown at a suggestion. "I think one Wallace Morgan in the world was probably plenty."

"We could call him Wally. It's cute and not super common."

"I don't think so," Derek maintained his position. "What about _your_ dad's name? Joseph is kind of traditional, isn't it? Although, Joe is pretty common, but he could be a Joey, like a little kangaroo." Morgan abandoned her feet and moved so that he was lying beside her on the sofa, but with his head positioned close to her belly. He pushed her shirt up and kissed the warm flesh of her tummy.

"Derek," she tried to swat him away. "God, my stomach looks horrible. The baby's gained about a pound a week these last few weeks and I feel huge. As if it's not bad enough that baby has remodeled my insides, now my outsides look all alien-ish."

Morgan kissed her belly again and then a third time. "I think you look gorgeous."

"Oh, yeah?" Emily chuckled. "You find stretch marks sexy, do ya?"

"Well," he looked up at her, his cheek still resting against her tummy. "Only _your_ stretch marks, because they're protecting our baby. And that is very sexy."

She couldn't help the big grin that spread across her face. "You are a sweet talker, Derek Morgan. I can only imagine that our son will be just as smooth. I'll probably be the biggest softy in the history of motherhood because of his sweet talking ways. But his name will not be Joseph, Joe or Joey. I want him to have his own name."

He looked at her like she'd just had a momentary memory lapse. "Then why did you suggest my dad's name?"

"That's different, because..." Emily sighed. "Well, there wouldn't be any confusion."

Derek nodded. "True, but... Wally Morgan? I still don't like it." He splayed his right hand over her belly again and felt around, moving up toward her ribcage. "That's a foot, right?" he remembered what she'd told him early about the baby's position. She nodded and he put his thinking cap back on. "How about Peter?"

"Peter?" She mulled it over, surprised that neither of them had suggested it before. "I like Peter. Do you like Peter?"

"I do," Derek perked up a little and pressed his lips against her stomach. "What do you think about Peter?" he asked the baby. There was a distinct movement from within and it caused Morgan to smile. Every time he felt their baby kick or move it thrilled him beyond belief. "Did you feel that? I think he likes the name."

"Did I feel that? Seriously?" Emily rolled her eyes. "Maybe he just moved in protest, because he hates the name," she countered.

"All right," Morgan again addressed the unborn child. "Let's get this cleared up then. Kick if you like the name and don't move at all if you hate it." He waited a second and felt nothing. Then he spoke the name aloud again. "Peter Morgan?"

Emily felt the kick reverberate against her ribs and rubbed the spot, hoping junior would calm down. "I think we have a winner," she announced.

"How about..." Derek once more positioned his lips close to her belly. "Peter Joseph Morgan?"

There was no movement at all, so Emily decided to offer up another suggestion. "Peter Wallace Morgan?" Almost instantly she felt another strong movement from their baby. "Aha!" she looked to Morgan with a triumphant grin. "He likes my choice better than yours."

He chuckled and crawled his way upward so he was eye level with her. Derek kissed her while his right hand stayed pressed against her stomach. "You do know this is all completely random and he's probably only kicking because he feels like it, not because he really understands a word we're saying."

"Well, duh," she laughed. "And I was actually thinking maybe Peter Derek Morgan would be nice."

"Again I ask you, I thought you wanted him to have his own name?"

She nodded. "First name, yes... but a middle name to honor his daddy would be sweet."

"And what about honoring the mommy who's going to give birth to him?" Derek replied. "He's already getting my last name; why not stick your name in there?"

"Because he's a boy, and Peter Emily sounds ridiculous," she pointed out.

Derek laughed. "Yes, it does, which is why I suggested Peter Joseph to represent your side of the family. I like it. Although, maybe I shouldn't mention that Peter is sometimes used as a slang term to describe a guy's... you know... bits..."

"Bits?" Emily shook her head at him. "What are you, twelve? I do know guys have penises, Derek. That's kind of how I got this baby in here," she pointed to her belly, smiling. "I still like Peter, though. It means rock, and that's a strong name. And there's always going to be some sort of way a name can be teased. Peter Joseph, though, I'll have to think on that one some more. Besides, who knows what we'll think when we first see the little guy. We might end up naming him something completely different, especially if he winds up being a girl."

Morgan looked doubtful. "We've watched the tape from that ultrasound about a hundred times, Em. And we heard what the technician concluded. So, unless our daughter is born with three legs, I think we've got ourselves a boy in there. And I know exactly what I'll be thinking when he's born," he leaned in and kissed her again. "That you and my son are the most amazing gift's I ever could have hoped for in this life."

"Sweet talker," Emily accused him again, though it was a happy accusation.

They curled up even closer. "I can't wait to finally meet him," he whispered in her ear.

"Me either," she replied.

* * *

**End**


	8. Water

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Water**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily slid into bed beside him as she listened to his half of the phone conversation. "I'm telling you the truth, mama, when I _accidently_ dropped her book in the ocean a fifty dollar bill came flying out of the thing. No, no… she was using it as a bookmark! So, here she is wading up to her chest in the freezing water trying to get her book, while I'm hoping to retrieve the money. She could've bought three new books with the cash, but she went after the book."

"It's a _good_ book, Fran," Emily projected her voice toward the phone.

Morgan chuckled, playfully pushing his wife away. "I don't know what to do with her, mama, the woman is insane. Yeah, well... I know," he nodded; glancing over at Emily who already had her nose stuck in the book again. "Yes, mama. I love you too. Bye." He tossed the cell phone onto his nightstand and curled up closer to Emily. "She said I'm supposed to stop teasing her favorite daughter-in-law," he revealed.

She grinned. "I always knew I liked her."

"This is like growing up with my sisters. They could do no wrong in mama's eyes either. It must be a chick thing," Derek lamented.

The book dropped to her lap. "A _chick_ thing? Did you really just say that?"

"So…" he tried to dodge her comments. Morgan picked up the book and noticed the rumpled pages that made up the last half of the paperback. "What did you do, use a hair dryer?"

"Actually, yes," Emily replied, taking the book from him.

He smiled, watching her flip through pages in an attempt to search for where she'd left off. Morgan turned away from her for a second, pulling out the top drawer of his nightstand to pluck out an item. He settled back beside her. "I got you a present," Derek let her know, waving the wrapped gift under her nose.

"What is it?" she discarded her book again for a moment.

"Typically, a gift means you're meant to open it and find out. And not ask questions," Morgan explained.

Emily tore into one end of the small package and pulled out a thin piece of cardboard that had a seascape image plastered on one side. It showed a sandy beach with palm trees and ocean waves rolling toward the shore. "You got me a bookmark?" she smiled, turning it over. "At the resort gift shop," laughter erupted from her throat as she faced him. "Thank you," Emily leaned to her left and gave him a kiss.

"You're welcome," he reached out and held on to the tip of the blue string hanging off one end of the bookmark. "It even has a little tassel," Derek brushed the tassel across her nose; then he leaned in and kissed the same spot. The tassel was forgotten as his lips found hers again. When he finally came up for air, Derek rested his chin against her collarbone. "And it was only a dollar-fifty, so, you know… no big loss if it goes flying at the beach," he teased.

She pulled away from him and placed the gift in her book. "You're not ever going to let me live this down, are you?"

"Not any time soon," Morgan grinned from ear to ear. "I don't think I've ever been so excited about showing up to work on a Monday morning before, because everyone is going to hear about this," he assured her.

* * *

**End**


	9. Ends

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Ends**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily dutifully tended to some flowers in the garden. Tulips and daffodils bloomed in random clumps. Their red and yellow hues added a pop of color to the mostly green planters in their small back yard. She looked up a few minutes later to find that she was being watched. Her husband sat at the glass-top table on the patio, sipping coffee and reading the morning newspaper, pretty much the same as he'd been doing every Saturday morning for the last forty years. Emily couldn't help wonder how that much time had already passed, but their days of chasing down bad guys were long behind them.

"Enjoying the view?" she called out loudly, knowing he was too stubborn to get his hearing checked.

"Always," he replied.

Forty years ago, as they'd recited their wedding vows; Emily had been certain she could see their future. And it usually ended with one or both of them taking a stray bullet that snuffed out their life in the line of duty. But that never happened. They'd both served long careers in the FBI and had retired with large parties celebrating their dedicated service to law enforcement. However, retirement hadn't been able to slow them down much. Even at age seventy-nine she still volunteered at the Children's Advocacy Center three days a week. And Derek walked to the Youth Center nearly every day to check up on things there.

After the wedding they'd talked about children of their own. They gave up on using birth control of any sort, claiming they'd let nature take its course. Emily hadn't wanted to implore any extra measures to conceive, and the feeling was mutual. They both agreed that if a child came along they'd be thrilled, and if one didn't, they'd always have a family of two. Their family of two never expanded permanently. But that freedom allowed them to care for children in need, six foster kids in all over the years. That, coupled with their volunteer work, led to them being called mom and dad dozens of times in an honorary capacity. And that was enough for them.

She separated herself from the task of fertilizing her precious flowers, babies of a different sort to her. Emily slowly walked toward her husband; a smile on her lips, a flutter of butterflies in her stomach and a peaceful ache in her heart. Even after so many years he had the power to make her feel like a teenager struck by love for the very first time. Except now it wasn't nervous and awkward puppy love, it was familiar and contented love. It was the bond that forty years had melded against their souls, a true love that could never be parted by time or distance, or even death. She sat down beside her husband.

"Happy anniversary," Emily greeted him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. They both had a few more wrinkles than the day they'd been married in a botanical garden forty years ago, but Emily loved him just as much or more.

He kissed her back, his lips touching lightly against hers. Gone were the days of long, drawn-out kisses. Only the slightest meeting of lips now conveyed their truest feelings. "What do you say we go inside and I give you a proper anniversary gift, like the way we always used to spend this day?" his gray eyebrows arched in a suggestive manner.

Emily smiled, shaking her head of silver hair at him. Though appearances had changed over the years, his spirit was still firmly intact. "We were much younger when we used to spend our anniversaries in bed all day long. Today you'd probably have a heart attack," she chuckled.

"If my life ends with you beside me in bed, at least I will die a very happy man," he grinned and his laughter seeped outward to join hers. Another kiss was pressed against her forehead, and he whispered in her ear. "I love you, Emily."

"I love you too, Derek," she whispered back.

* * *

**End**


	10. Purple

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Purple**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily gently kicked the door closed and tossed her keys into the small ceramic bowl on a wooden table in the entry hall. She dropped her bag and moved toward the bench, sat down and removed her shoes. Then she jogged up the carpeted stairs and took a right at the landing, heading toward her room. There she changed into some comfy clothes and washed her face. Feeling relaxed after her long day, Emily finally moved toward her daughter's bedroom down the hall. She noticed that the door was closed, a rather common occurrence for the fifteen year old. Emily respected her privacy and knocked softly, waiting for an invitation inside.

When she didn't hear anything, Emily called through the door. "Hey, Beth, your dad had to go to Birmingham on a case. I'm sitting this one out since I went to Kansas last week," she relayed. Ever since she'd returned to the BAU, she and Morgan had been switching off as much as possible so that one of them was usually home for their daughter. "I thought we could get pizza or Chinese and watch a movie," Emily suggested, knocking again.

"Go away," a muffled reply came.

A frown sprouted on Emily's face as she turned the knob and stuck her head inside the room. "You okay, kiddo?" she asked.

The girl sniffed loudly from where she was positioned on her stomach. "No, and I don't want to talk about it," Beth replied.

Emily pushed the door open enough to slip fully into the room. She was greeted by soft purple walls as she made her way toward Beth's bed. The shade of purple was the color her daughter had chosen at age two, shortly after they'd moved into the house with Derek. And Beth still loved it dearly. Emily sat down on the teenager's bed and ran a hand over the girl's dark hair. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Its daddy," the girl flipped herself over and revealed tear-stained eyes. "I already know he's on his way to a case, because he called me from the airport to say goodbye. And that's when I decided to ask him about going to the prom with Henry. But he said no without even thinking about it. He's being completely unreasonable." She buried her face against a fluffy pillow.

"I'm sorry he said no, sweetheart," Emily tenderly continued to stroke her daughter's hair. "But don't you think asking him over the phone when he's about to leave on a case was maybe not the smartest idea on your part?"

"It doesn't matter," Beth turned her head to one side, eyeing her mother. "He was going to say no anyway."

"Well, your father and I did decide that you wouldn't be allowed to go on un-chaperoned dates until you were sixteen," Emily reminded her.

A dramatic sigh escaped the girl's mouth. "I'll be sixteen in three months!" she protested. Beth sniffed back more tears and finally sat up, facing her mother. "And Henry is eighteen. He's an adult, with a car and a full-ride scholarship to Yale. He's really responsible. And this is the only senior prom he's going to have, and he wants me to go with him, mommy. Me. And you guys have known Will and JJ for… forever. You've known Henry since he was a baby. He's a really good guy."

The smile on Emily's face was sympathetic as she reached out to push a lock of hair behind her daughter's left ear. "Sweetie, Henry _is_ a great kid," she agreed. "I would never try to argue that fact. And, yes, according to the law he is an adult. But he's also still a teen-aged boy. And boys…"

"Oh God," Beth stopped her mother. "Please, can we not have another sex talk," she shook her head. "I know where babies come from and that I should wait until I'm married and in love and all that. And Henry knows if he tried anything I'd punch him. I'm not going to have sex with him, mom. I mean, what fifteen-year-old is really ready for that?"

Emily wanted to pull her little girl close and keep her that naïve forever, but she also didn't want to be like her parents and not talk about the tough issues. "I know for a fact that I wasn't ready at age fifteen to have sex, but I did," Emily revealed.

Beth's eyes grew wide. "Whoa… you did?"

A slow nod was the only reply Emily could give for a few seconds. "I did it for all the wrong reasons, too, mostly because I wanted to fit in. And I didn't think there would be any consequences for my actions, but…"

The girl looked concerned; she wasn't sure what to think about the sudden turn their conversation had taken. "You don't have to tell me, mom."

"I know I don't, baby," Emily cupped her daughter's cheek and sighed. "But my parents never talked to me about this stuff. They barely talked to me at all, and I never felt like I could talk to them either. And there was a time that I really needed their help, but I was too scared to ask." She took a deep breath, uncertain about what she was about to tell her daughter. "I got pregnant at fifteen."

"Um…" the girl gulped nervously, shock flooding her system. "But you… did you, uh…"

"I terminated the pregnancy," Emily supplied. "Do you know what that means?"

Beth nodded. She wasn't sure what to say, so she finally leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her mother. "It's okay," she whispered. Almost as if she could read the waves of regret coming off her mom, she added, "I don't think you're a monster or anything because you did that. I think you're brave," Beth said. "You knew you were too young to handle having a baby and you did what you thought was best."

Emily felt a tear prick her eye as they separated. "How is it that you're so sweet and understanding?"

"I have really good parents," Beth grinned and added a one-shouldered shrug.

A spark of laughter escaped Emily's throat. "Now you're just trying to butter me up so I'll talk to your dad about renegotiating your dating age," she guessed.

"Well," the girl's smile brightened a little. "If you did, I'd be very grateful. But I'll abide by whatever you two decide. I probably won't like it if you still say no, and I'll probably mope around hating you for a while, but I'll do what you say," Beth promised.

"In that case, I will see what I can do," Emily stuck her hand out so they could shake on it. "You've got a deal, now how about some dinner?"

"Definitely pizza," Beth put in her vote. "And can we watch the new Jaden Smith movie that was just released?"

Emily arched a brow at her daughter. "Henry I can handle, but Jaden Smith is definitely too old for you," she chuckled.

Beth rolled her eyes. "He's just a movie star, mom. Besides, I really like Henry."

"Oh, yeah?" Emily elbowed her daughter in the side as they exited the bedroom and walked down the hall. "How much do you really like him?"

"A lot," Beth blushed as they made their way downstairs.

* * *

**End**


	11. Orange

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Orange**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek listened as the last strains of the song played out. He opened his eyes and pulled the headphones off his ears, letting them settle around the back of his neck. When he looked up and across the table, Morgan noticed JJ peeling an orange. He glanced around the rest of the plane. Reid was nodding off even though it was only late afternoon. The case had been a difficult one and resting after a long case always felt like a mini-vacation. Hotch, on other hand, was going over a file of some sort in the very back of the plane. Derek shook his head at the man then glanced over at JJ again. She smiled at him and held a section of the orange up.

"Would you like some?" JJ asked.

"Sure, thanks," Morgan took the offering and bit into the juicy, sweet fruit. "Did you know Emily once told me I was like an orange?"

"Really?" the woman was amused.

Morgan nodded. "It was something about me having a tough shell that was hard to peel back, but being sweet and soft on the inside."

She chuckled and handed over a few more slices. "Are Emily and Beth meeting you at the airport?"

"Yep," he replied. "Lucky me, I get back just in time to join them for dinner with Emily's parents. That's always a fun time."

JJ cringed. "Sorry, I'm sure I could find some sort of case to delay us if you'd like," she offered.

He shook his head, biting into another orange slice. "Actually, given the choice, I think dinner with the in-laws is preferable to another case right away," Morgan replied, though he knew she'd just been joking anyhow. "Elizabeth and Joseph Prentiss are really not all that bad. They love Beth like crazy and they've always been very good to me." He took a quick breath, thinking back over their recent case. "Family doesn't always come in a perfect package, but I'm glad to have the one I do."

The media liaison nodded in understanding. "You know, what you told that kid today about finding his way after losing his whole family, I think you really made a difference. I think you broke through his defenses."

"Yeah?" Derek shrugged, not entirely sure of the fact. "I sure hope so. All I could think about was Beth and how I'd want her to be able to pick up and move on if anything were to happen to Emily and me. It's not something I like to dwell on, but…"

"I know what you mean," JJ offered up words when his trailed off. "I feel the same way when I think about Henry."

Morgan sighed. "Yes, young Henry," he looked to the woman who'd he'd worked with for over twenty years. "I suppose by now you've heard that I told Beth she couldn't go to the prom with Henry. I know Emily heard, because she's called me every night during this case, seeing if I've maybe changed my mind."

JJ chuckled. "Yes, I have been privy to much of what's going on. And, I know I may be a little bit biased on the subject matter, but Henry is a very good kid and he really wants to take Beth to his prom. He even told me that he wasn't going to attend if he couldn't take Beth."

"I have absolutely no argument to make against Henry," he assured her. "I've watched him grow up and he really is a wonderful kid. But, he's an eighteen year old boy. And I've been an eighteen year old boy before. So, I know what they're thinking. He and Beth can both argue to the death that nothing is going to happen other than the two of them going to prom, but things just happen. And that is my baby girl we're talking about."

She smiled. "Maybe I would feel a little different if I had a daughter, I can't really say. But I know my son and I trust him. Do you trust Beth?"

"Of course I do," he nodded. "She's grown up to be an amazing young woman. But I also still see her as the two-year-old who loved to go to the park and feed the ducks with her daddy. And the child who would let me push her for hours on a swing, smiling and looking up at me like she trusted me to never let her fall down or get hurt in any way." Morgan slowly chewed his last piece of orange. "I trust Beth to be responsible, but I'm just not sure if I'm ready to be the one not taking care of her."

Her hand slid across the table and she patted his. "Whatever you decide about this prom business, I'm sure Beth will abide by it. And she will always be your little girl. But, you are going to have to let her go at some point."

"I know," Derek sighed. "I know."

* * *

**End**


	12. Green

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Green**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily gazed through the viewer of her beloved camera and framed the perfect shot of Derek and their daughter standing under the oak tree in their front yard. Beth had her hair done up in a French twist with ringlets framing either side of her face. And her emerald green dress practically sparkled in the soft evening sunlight. Strapped up in her gold heels, the teenager stood almost as tall as her father. And she wore a grin that was nearly as wide as the Grand Canyon. Derek's smile was fainter; revealing undeniable pride, but incalculable worry. He'd agreed to let their little girl go to the prom with Henry, but he still wasn't overly thrilled by the idea.

She took the shot then looked up from her camera and waved Henry back over. The tall, sandy-haired boy wore a dark tuxedo with matching green cummerbund. He had his father's eyes and his mother's smile. "Let's get one with the three of you," Emily suggested, wanting to document every second of her daughter's first dance.

Morgan stiffened as Henry walked over and wrapped his arm around Beth's waist. He shot the boy a warning look just as Emily snapped the picture. "Sorry," Derek apologized to the woman who he'd finally made his wife after three years of living together with their daughter. Beth had been five at the time; a flower girl in her own parents' wedding. They were not the most traditional bunch, but they were Derek's pride and joy. And he'd spent the last month leading up to this prom reminding his daughter, in not so veiled threats, that if Henry tried anything funny with her he'd never let her date again until she was forty.

After a few more pictures, Beth and Henry slowly managed to edge their way toward the car. "So, you'll have her home by nine-thirty," Morgan eyed the boy.

"Daddy," Beth's cheeks flushed from embarrassment. "We're going out to dinner first and the dance doesn't even start until eight-thirty," she explained. "And mom already said midnight."

Derek's eyes widened as he turned to aim his stare at Emily. "Did she?" He watched his wife nod with all the confidence in the world. And damn if he wasn't ready to cave like he usually did in regard to her lead. The main reason Beth was even going to the prom was Emily's doing. Morgan's eyes returned to the girl. "Ten-thirty."

Beth sighed. "Eleven-thirty," she countered.

He felt his heart give in to her big brown eyes and knew he was the worst negotiator in the world. "Eleven-thirty," Derek agreed, looking to Henry again. "If you are even one second late, I will not hesitate to have the team out looking for you two."

Emily slung the camera's shoulder strap over her left side and stepped forward so she could hug Beth. "I love you, baby. Be safe," she said. In a softer whisper, Emily added, "And your dad is just joking about sending the team after you."

"I heard that," Derek piped up. "And no, I'm not."

The two most precious women in Morgan's life chuckled. Emily leaned in to kiss her daughter's cheek, but the girl stopped her. "Mom, you'll mess my make-up," she protested, good-naturedly. "I love you guys," Beth told her parents as Henry opened the passenger's side door for her. "By daddy," she waved, blowing him a kiss.

Derek waved back and even smiled for her as he watched Henry pull out of their driveway. A few seconds later he spun around to face his wife. "My baby is wearing make-up?" Morgan sighed, shaking his head. "I'm feeling like an old man right now."

Emily grinned. "It's just a very small amount of make-up. You didn't even notice, did you?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, but couldn't stay upset. "I think you'd probably let her get away with murder if it was only a small amount of murder," Morgan playfully accused as he abruptly lifted her off her feet and scooped her up into his arms.

Her laughter filled the air. "I'm impressed you still have the strength for such things, old man," Emily teased, cradling her camera against her chest with one hand. Her other palm pressed against the back of his neck and drew his head down toward hers. Their lips met and a spark of desire raced through both their bodies; desire that had yet to wan as the years passed. Moist lips gently parted as they deepened the union, giving the tree, the birds and the neighbors all a clear view of the love in their hearts. With a satisfied sigh, she sagged against his broad chest. "Maybe you can show me what else you still have the strength for," she suggested.

"How about dinner out tonight," he replied. "Just the two of us. We haven't done that in a long time."

She nodded. "Not exactly the thing I had in mind, but dinner sounds good too."

Morgan carried her toward the front door of their house the way he'd done the day they moved in, and also the night of their honeymoon, which had been spent at home while Garcia and Kevin had watched Beth at their place. He dipped his head again and stole another kiss, a quick one. "Well, someone told our daughter she could stay out until eleven-thirty tonight, so there will be plenty of time later for what you had in mind," he promised.

* * *

**End**


	13. Hours

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Hours**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily squeezes Morgan's hand so tightly she worries she might actually break his fingers. But he never complains. And her worry subsides as she bears down, clenches her teeth and gives one last mighty push to pass the baby's shoulders. She finally feels the dam give way as the rest of her child follows an outward trajectory. "He's definitely a boy," Derek enthusiastically tells her a few seconds later. He's still holding her hand but peering down at their newborn son.

She sinks back against the bed and takes several slower breaths, thinking the worst is finally over. After twelve and a half hours of labor, the last of which was spent pushing, their precious new addition has arrived. But seconds after his entry she still doesn't hear anything other than the echo of her heart thumping in her head. "Why isn't he crying?" Emily finally asks, struggling to sit up and spot the baby. "What did I do wrong?"

"You didn't do anything wrong," the doctor calmly assures her as he quickly clamps the umbilical cord and cuts it.

Derek feels a little upset by the fact that he doesn't get to cut the cord as planned, but he's more worried about his son than anything else. "What's going on?" he lets go of Emily's hand and follows the doctor who places the baby on a small examination surface. He watches the doctor place a stethoscope against his son's tiny chest as the nurse is trying to clear his throat. "Is he breathing?" Morgan's voice quakes as he asks the heartbreaking question.

"The cord was around his neck when he came out," the nurse explains. "It probably tugged a little in all the commotion of being born, but since his heart rate never fluctuated much I'm sure he's…" she doesn't get a chance to finish her thoughts when a small gurgle emits from the baby.

Two seconds later a louder cry fills the room and Derek's stomach settles back into place. Mostly. "Good job, buddy," he encourages his son, looking on from behind the doctor and nurse. Then he glances over at Emily, who's been forgotten in all the drama. Derek rushes to her and tries to sooth her fears. "He's okay," Morgan whispers, brushing away her tears with the pad of his thumb. He wishes she would say something, but her silent sobs have rendered her speechless.

"Dad?" the nurse calls him back over to the baby. Derek reluctantly leaves Emily's side and sees the boy has his eyes open and is taking his first shaky breaths in the new world. He's wrapped loosely in a pale blue blanket, his skin still slick from the birthing process. The nurse hands Derek the bundle and nods her head toward Emily. "Why don't you introduce him to his mom before we clean him up," she suggests.

He holds his son for the first time and thinks the boy is impossibly small. Derek walks at a snail's pace toward Emily's bed. It's just a few feet away but it seems to take him an eternity. Morgan lifts the baby to his lips and kisses a small spot on his little forehead. Then he lowers the boy into Emily's outstretched arms. And when the child settles into her embrace, Derek thinks the world has finally righted itself, because both of them look like there's no place else they'd rather be. And he knows there is no place else he'd rather be than by their side.

Morgan sits on the bed to Emily's left and watches her inspect every inch of the baby. She kisses his cheek, his nose, his forehead and every little finger. It doesn't matter to her how slimy he still is. Her words still haven't come, but Morgan can see that actions speak louder as she cradles the child. "How about Peter Emil Morgan?" he asks her, trying to settle on a middle name for the baby. "I found Emil in a book; it means the same as Emily."

"Right now, I don't care if his middle name is poopy-face," Emily finally says. For a second she peels her eyes away from the baby and looks to Derek. She grasps a hold of his right hand and kisses his knuckles the way she kissed her son's just a few moments ago. "I only know that I'm never letting him out of my sight again," she vows. "At least not for the first eighteen years."

Derek chuckles and leans forward to kiss her, their son safely tucked between them.

* * *

**End**


	14. Days

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Days**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

A cry reached her ultra-sensitive ears and her eyes opened in an instant. Within a few seconds, Emily knew it wasn't an urgent cry. It was not like the: feed-me-now cries that had filled the last few nights just as she'd finally fallen asleep. This was more of an uncomfortable cry. She didn't ignore it, but Emily snuggled up closer to Derek, who was wedged between her and the sofa. His left arm was draped across her waist, his head resting against her shoulder. She knew he wasn't sleeping, though, by the sound of his breathing. "He needs a diaper change, and I think it's your turn," she whispered.

Derek opened his eyes, waking fully from the short nap. "How can you tell?" he peeked over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of their son who was laying in his basinet beside the sofa. Little Peter Morgan was swaddled in a green blanket. His mouth was mostly closed as the gentle cries emitted and his eyes were at half-mast.

"Because it's a change-me cry," Emily simply replied, her hand reaching out to rest against the boy's blanket-covered chest.

"It sounds like any other cry to me," Morgan noted. He knew that was pretty much because he was male and not female. And in the five days since they'd brought Peter home from the hospital, Emily had known just about everything to do for their son.

Emily shifted to her back and looked up at Derek. "You're avoiding the real topic here, Derek. You haven't changed a single diaper yet. Why is that?"

Morgan hadn't sensed any animosity on her part about being absent in the diaper changing arena of caring for their son, but he felt bad now that she'd pointed it out. He shrugged and held one of his hands up, fingers splayed. "My hand is about as big as his whole body, and…" Derek paused, searching for the right words. There was really only one that he needed to admit. "I'm afraid I might hurt him."

Her face softened and she leaned in to kiss him. Five days after giving birth she wasn't even close to thinking about sex yet, but kissing Derek always made her heart flutter faster. She peeled herself away from him, swung her legs over the side of the sofa and sat up. Then she stood and leaned over to grab Derek's hand. "Come on, big-guy," Emily instructed. "It's finally time for your first diaper lesson."

Derek stood, but butterflies danced in his stomach. "Are you sure?" he asked, feet planted by the sofa as Emily let go of his hand and headed for the stairs.

"I'm sure," she called back. "I'll meet you up there."

He nervously climbed the stairs, going slower than usual. Finally he emerged into the baby's room and found Emily by the changing table. She glanced over at him and was shaking her head, a small smile forming at the corners of her mouth. "What?" he asked.

"Did you maybe forget something?" Emily asked.

His mind swam, wondering what she meant. Then he looked at the changing table again, and at her and himself. His eyes finally settled upon the empty crib in the far corner of the room. There was definitely something missing from their family of three. "Oh, crap!" he cried out, turning and racing toward the stairs. He rushed down them and entered the living room where he found Peter still softly whimpering in the basinet. "I am so sorry, buddy," Derek apologized as he bent over and deftly plucked his son out of the bed. "Hopefully you never remember your daddy being an idiot. Although, I'm sure your mommy will never forget this," he chuckled as they made their way up the stairs and back to the boy's room.

"So… do you want me to walk you through it, or would you like to wing it?" Emily asked as he placed the boy down on the changing surface.

"Guide me, master," Derek grinned, kissing her on the cheek.

She laughed softly at his antics, but could see Peter was growing more agitated and realized they needed to get things underway. "First, strip him down," Emily instructed. It was still the middle of summer, but they'd decided to keep the house cool enough so they could swaddle the newborn, knowing it was a comforting thing for most babies. And Peter seemed to like it a lot.

Derek smiled down at his son. "Mommy makes it sound like you're a gun she's about to strip and clean," he said. Peter stopped fussing for a moment, as if he were enjoying the sound of his father's voice. But his little face scrunched up again a second later. Morgan set to work, carefully removing the blanket. At the sight of his son's tiny arms and legs, he felt a bit nervous again.

"Now, undo the tabs on the diaper, but don't remove it yet," Emily told him as she reached for something on a shelf above the changing table. "You'll need this."

Morgan had the tabs unfastened when she sat a small fabric cone-shaped item in his hand. "What in the world is this thing?"

"Don't you remember at the shower when I opened the package of those and asked the same thing?" She watched his head shake. "JJ gave us those. They're called a pee-pee teepee; especially designed for changing baby boys, because if you don't keep it covered they have a tendency to spray you."

"Ah, I see," it was all becoming clearer to him. "So, I need to be quick. Pull the diaper off and drop this thing on in one smooth motion," Derek winked at her. "We all know there's no one smoother than Derek Morgan."

She grinned, but rolled her eyes at him, wondering how she'd ever come to have a child with Derek, let alone fall in love with him. Some days it still felt like a dream to her, but usually a very good dream. "Okay, _Mr. Smooth_, let's see you in action," Emily encouraged.

His big hands carefully did as planned, pulling the diaper down and successfully placing the teepee where it belonged. "Nothing to it," he congratulated himself.

Emily was happy to see him much more at ease. "And you only got a wet one, lucky you," she picked up the new diaper and handed it to him. "Okay, now you have to hold his feet and lift his bottom up so you can pull out the wet diaper and slide the clean one underneath. You don't have to be as fast at this part. And…" she pointed at the diaper. "Be sure that the tabs go on the side under his bottom, same way it's coming off. Understand?"

Derek cringed a little. "I think so," his courage took a small dip after all the explanation, but he was up for the challenge. "Here goes," he proceeded to do as she'd said. Leg lifting went fine. Pulling out the old, wet diaper was good. But on his first try, the new diaper ended up backwards and he had to keep his son's bottom dangling in the air as he switched it around. Peter was much calmer, though, seeming happy just to have the offending wetness away from his sensitive skin.

"Here," she handed him a wipe. "Now you need to clean him, even though you only got a wet one. Diaper fuzz can cause irritation too."

"All right," Derek took the wipe and very gently moved it around a little on Peter's bottom.

"You gotta clean it all, daddy," Emily took the wipe and demonstrated as she ran it over her son's genitals and everywhere else the diaper covered. She glanced over at Derek, seeing the uncertain look on his face. "You don't have to be worried, it doesn't hurt him," she assured.

"Now what?" he asked, wanting to move on.

"Some cream for his rash," she handed over the tube. "Just a very small dab."

Again Derek was leery as he stared down at his son. He looked over at Emily again. "Where, exactly?"

She smiled and guided his hand, showing him how and where to rub it in. "This stuff is already clearing up his little rash, and it only developed yesterday."

"I'm glad," Derek relaxed a little more as he leaned down and took one of Peter's small feet in his hands. He started kissing each of the boy's soft toes.

Emily watched them both for a moment, a pleased smile creasing her face. Peter's skin had been rather pink at birth, but it had quickly revealed its light caramel hue to them; several shades darker than her, but also much lighter than Derek. He was definitely a balanced mix in that department, but so far he was the spitting image of his daddy, from eyes to nose and chin, even his completely bare head. In the course of watching their interaction, Emily noticed that Peter was gnawing on his right hand, which she'd come to recognize as a sign of hunger. "I really hate to break this party up boys, but we need to finish up," she looked to Derek. "Just be sure to fold the diaper down about an inch before you fasten it."

Morgan did as ordered and secured the diaper with little trouble, easily avoiding the boy's umbilical cord stump. "Don't you have to clean that, or something? It looks kind of gross," he observed.

"It looks gross because it's drying up. A few books I've read say pediatricians sometimes recommend swabbing it with alcohol, but Dr. Kinson told me that her recommendation is to leave it alone, so I'm going with that method. Supposedly, it should fall off on its own and we are not supposed to touch it or pull on it, or do anything," she let him know.

With the new diaper firmly in place, Derek attempted to swaddle the boy, but his efforts produced less than stellar results. Emily re-did it, showing him each step of the procedure. "How do you know all this stuff?" he asked.

"I ask the doctor and nurses, and have read a ton of books so far," she scooped Peter up and cradled him in her left arm.

"Do you think maybe I could read some of those books?" Derek inquired.

She smiled. "There's a whole stack of them on the floor by my side of the bed."

"Good," he nodded. "Because I really do want to do this right, you know? I don't want to just watch you raise him. I want to raise him with you. During the pregnancy I could help get food for you, keep the place clean, and give foot massages. Now that he's here it seems like you're the only one who can feed him and you know how to diaper and… well, I feel kind of worthless and I'm worried about doing things for him. I guess I should have stepped up and said something earlier, though."

Emily's heart melted, hearing the desire and confusion in his voice. "You're doing great, Derek. I don't know exactly what I'm doing either. But talking to JJ has been a big help, and reading. Nobody knows it all their first time out of the gate," she said, looking down at Peter. "I'd like us to be more of a team, too. And now that you're an expert at diapering I think we should make that your numero uno daddy task," she grinned.

Derek nodded in agreement. "Thank you for not making fun of me with the whole first-time diaper thing," he kissed her forehead, and then her cheek. "And maybe I was feeling a little left out, too," Morgan admitted. "With you giving Peter most of your attention, which I fully understand. He's little and he needs you more. But this is all just a lot different than I thought it would be."

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes. "I love you, Derek. So much," she let him know. "And hopefully in a few months when the three of us get better at all of this, and are on some kind of schedule, maybe we can get a sitter and have a date. Just the two of us," Emily suggested.

"Do you really think you could leave him in a few months?" Derek asked, feeling apprehensive about it himself. "He'll still be so little."

"Okay, so maybe those first few dates of ours will have to be the three of us," she chuckled.

"Sounds good to me," Derek captured her lips, letting his love for her pour out in the gentle kiss. He realized, though, that sometimes words were needed as well as actions. "I love you too, Emily. More than you'll ever know."

Another brief kiss between them was interrupted by Peter's hungry cry, the one that let Emily know she'd waited too long. "Sorry, buddy," she gently bounced him in her arms. "We love you too," Emily assured him as she moved toward the rocking chair in the left corner of his nursery.

Morgan watched her sit down, expertly maneuvering the baby and unbuttoning her shirt at the same time. It didn't take Peter long to latch on and start suckling. Derek would have been pretty content to stand there and watch them all evening long, but he also wanted to make the most of what time he had left with them during his leave from work. That meant more diaper changes, and pampering Emily every chance he got. "I'm going to put some water on for tea so it's ready when you're done here," he let her know. "And I was thinking I'd try my hand at cooking up that salmon for dinner." His second offer was somewhat of a joke, because the salmon meal Garcia had dropped off was already fully cooked and all he had to do was heat it up.

But the grateful smile she flashed him was all Derek needed to know that he was very much an integral part of their family.

* * *

**End**


	15. Weeks

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Weeks**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

A huge yawn escaped her mouth, one that she could feel tingle through her whole body right down to her toes. Emily couldn't remember ever being so tired before. She was propped up in bed, pillows at her back and one to her right side where Peter was laying. The boy had his feet pointed toward the head board as his tiny mouth suckled at her breast. The lamp beside them was on its lowest setting, but she knew without any light she'd probably fall asleep. Her right hand gently stroked his still very bald head. "Two weeks in and we're getting pretty good at this, aren't we?" she whispered, keeping her voice low so she didn't rouse Derek.

She marveled at the way Peter's alert eyes gazed up at her, as if he really understood what she was saying. "Daddy's going to leave us in a few hours. I know he has to go back to work, but we'll miss him a bunch. Won't we?" Her questions continued to go unanswered in the one-sided conversation. But Emily had grown to love the late night talks with her son. She usually managed to cover a pretty broad range of topics; everything from music to proper procedure on how to fill out case reports.

"So, how's the whole name thing working out for you?" she chuckled softly. "The first name I agreed on, the second was your daddy's idea so you can blame him. And if you don't like Peter, well… too bad. I mean, I guess you can change it when you're an adult. If you want to. But there have been some famous people with your name. Peter the Great was a Russian tsar. I can teach you some Russian when you're older, although that's not my best language. Peter Parker is Spiderman, if you like comics and superheroes. And there's Peter Pan, the boy who refused to grow up. I'll read you that story some day, because it's always been a favorite of mine."

Peter Morgan's only response was to clamp down harder on her, which caused a soft wince from Emily. "Easy there, buddy," she whispered. Emily had grown used to the small discomfort of nursing, and the benefits were definitely worth it. But it was still a little strange, being a parent and knowing that his life was completely dependent upon her and Derek for every need. "You know…" she took a deep breath, about to bear her soul to the little boy. "I waited a long time for this; for you. I thought I might never have this chance again, to be a mom," she revealed.

Emily's thoughts drifted back to her life at the age of fifteen. She'd been going there a lot since the day she'd found out she was pregnant with Peter, and even more so in the weeks since his birth. The loss of that life; the life she'd taken, it still haunted her at times. But gazing down into her son's dark eyes made her realize that life went on, and forgiveness came in unexpected ways. "I never thought I'd get another chance to be someone's mother. I really hope I don't screw it up. I'm going to try hard not to, but I'll probably make some mistakes along the way. Just know that no matter what, I'll always love you," she vowed.

The boy's mouth spread in what looked to her like a contented smile. But she knew he was probably just taking a quick breath, because he was back to suckling in an instant. Emily cherished every second with Peter, even the seconds when she felt completely overwhelmed and exhausted. "I'm a little worried about doing this on my own without your daddy's support," she confessed to the boy. "Of course he'll still be around, just not every minute of every day like he has been the last few weeks."

"But I'll only be a phone call away," Derek's sleep-laden voice announced from the other side of the bed.

She turned to see him sit up. "It's not nice to eavesdrop on private conversations," Emily said, though her face wore a grin that told him she was only teasing. "It's three in the morning. You should go back to sleep," she insisted.

Morgan scooted over closer to her and the baby. "I will, just as soon as this little guy finishes his late night snack." Derek leaned against her and stared down at their son. "I wish I could help with these feedings," he said.

Emily reached over and ran a hand over his bare pectoral muscles. "You've got a lovely chest, sweetie," she cooed. "But not exactly the right equipment for feeding."

He chuckled and pressed a gentle kiss against the side of her head. "I meant with a bottle. You got one of those breast pump thingies, didn't you?"

"Yes," she nodded. "But most of what I've read says you should wait until the baby is well established with nursing, at least a month, before you introduce bottle feeding. Something about nipple confusion," Emily shrugged a little.

Derek didn't recall reading anything about that yet, but he was a little bit behind her in his baby-care reading, having just started a week ago. "Okay, but the first time he's bottle fed, it had better be by me," he insisted.

Her head nodded in agreement. "Got it, first bottle feeding reserved for daddy."

"You know, it's a little weird when you call me daddy," Morgan said.

Soft laughter escaped her lips. "I know, it feels weird when you refer to me as mommy," she agreed.

His eyes locked onto Peter again. "I bet it won't feel weird the first time he calls me daddy." Derek looked over at Emily. "Or the first time he calls you mommy. Of course, he's going to say daddy first," he gave her a confident nod.

Emily chuckled. "You sound pretty sure of that, but I'll be spending a lot more time with him over the next few months. You'll be off chasing down UnSubs and I can spend all day teaching him to say mommy first."

"You're a mean woman," Derek replied.

She laughed again for a moment, but the mirth faded away as she watched him gaze down at Peter. Emily realized he was probably thinking about all the things he'd miss by being at work. They still hadn't decided when or if she'd be going back to the BAU. She had a few months of paid maternity leave, but the thought of going back even after a few months, and leaving Peter with someone, was not appealing. Derek was obviously already experiencing those thoughts after just two weeks. "I'm sorry," Emily leaned in and kissed him.

He accepted her apology, breaking the kiss and laying his head against her shoulder as he stared at Peter again. One hand reached out to softly trail along the boy's bare head. "Just remember to take lots of pictures and videos while I'm away… and lots of pictures," he repeated.

With both her boys curled up on either side of her, Emily's worries seemed insignificant. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world. "I promise," she whispered.

* * *

**End**


	16. Months

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Months**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Their clothes lay pooled on the floor at the foot of the bed. Those had been shed quickly. But Emily's attempts to entice Derek seemed to be slower in taking flight. His kisses were feather-light, sweet, but almost bashful. His touch upon her skin was soft, loving, but a little bit timid. Not at all what she'd come to expect from their love making. "Emily," he moaned her name as their lips brushed against one another. "I don't think I can do this," Morgan carefully extracted himself from her embrace so that they were both lying on their sides, facing one another.

Her lips were mashed together so tightly Emily almost forgot to breath. Brows formed into a soft scowl. "What's wrong?" she finally asked.

His unsure sigh was her first answer, followed by a breath of words. "It's just that he's right there and it's kind of awkward," Derek finally pointed toward the bassinet where Peter was. He could hear the boy's soft cooing sounds and knew he was awake, just laying there, relatively content to stare at his padded walls.

"Do you want me to put him in his own room?" she asked, thinking of the quickest solution. Peter was two months old, but they'd yet to have him sleep in the nursery, feeling more comfortable with him closer, especially so she could nurse him in the middle of the night. At the moment she was willing to compromise if it would help her attempts to reignite their love life, which was not going well so far. After eight long weeks she'd felt ready to try, but Derek seemed rather reluctant and she was worried it had nothing to do with the baby's presence.

"No," he replied. "Well, maybe… I don't know," Derek shrugged.

About a second later Peter suddenly decided that he wasn't content at all and bellowed loudly. Emily turned away from Derek, flopping onto her back against the mattress. An aggravated puff of breath escaped her chest as her son continued his hungry lament. "I told you we'd have a very narrow window of opportunity for this, didn't I?" She tried to keep the anger from flaring in her tone, but it was difficult. Emily sat up and reached for the baby. "I suppose someone should get some use out of my breasts this evening."

Derek sat up, too, watching as she settled back against the head board to feed Peter. He grabbed the comforter at the end of their bed and drew it up, covering her naked lower half. But the death glare she shot him practically made him recoil. "What?" He was confused by her grouchy mood.

She turned her head away from him, keeping her eyes focused on the boy in her arms. "Nothing," Emily's low voice crackled with raw emotion.

Morgan clearly heard the hurt in her tone and noticed the tears that had welled up in her eyes. One even escaped, trickling down her left cheek. He moved closer, reaching out to wipe it away. "Hey, talk to me, Em. What did I do wrong?"

Emily gently chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying hard to stave off further tears. With her eyes still averted, she answered, "Is it so bad that you don't even want to look at me? I mean, I know my body isn't exactly the same since giving birth, but do you feel like you need to cover me up?" she practically choked on the words as she caressed Peter's delicate face.

He'd never heard her sound so deflated before, or so insecure. Derek felt even worse knowing it was his actions that had caused her pain. "First of all, I covered you up because I thought you might be cold. Because almost every time you nurse you mention getting chilled." He scooted over even closer, settling beside her. One hand trailed along her bare shoulder and then downward, brushing lightly against her belly. "Second… you are even more gorgeous now than the day I met you, baby," he whispered against her ear. "And I happen to like all of your new curves."

Most of her tears faded with a sniff and her emotions fell somewhat back into check. She allowed herself to believe him, because he'd always been completely honest with her, even if it took him a while to spit it out. Emily felt a bit silly for her outburst, but she was still frustrated. "Then why have you been so reluctant to make love to me this past week?" she finally asked, point blank.

Derek's heavy heart settled a little as he pressed a kiss against her temple. He swallowed his nervousness and stared lovingly down at their son. "Watching you give birth to him was beyond anything I've ever experienced before. It was amazing, but I know how much pain it caused you. And I've been worried that after all of that I might somehow hurt you by being with you," he explained.

Now she felt extremely foolish, hearing the amount of concern weaved within his words. Her gaze shifted fully to him. "You don't need to be worried, Derek. The doctor said I'm perfectly fit for sexual activity, though she did mention it would be up to me to decide for sure when I was ready. And I am ready," she told him. "I've read a few things that say it will probably be a little different the first time after giving birth, maybe even the first few times. There might also be a small bit of pain involved on my part, but it's different for everyone. Most importantly, I want this and I'm ready," she reiterated.

Both his hands cupped her face and he dipped his head, allowing their lips to mingle in a sensual union. The kiss rekindled a fire that had been missing for quite some time between them, mainly due to his reluctance. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you all of this sooner," Derek apologized.

She was just about to assure him that it was all water under the bridge as far as she was concerned, but Emily's eyes were distracted as they glanced down. An amused and slightly exasperated sigh escaped her mouth. "Now?" she waved a hand at his lap.

Morgan flashed an impish grin her way and shrugged. "So, uh… how long you gonna be busy there?" he nodded his head toward their nursing son.

"I'd say at least another ten minutes," Emily replied. "Then I should really change him before I try to get him back down."

"Right," Derek nodded in reluctant understanding as he slowly inched away from her and then stood by the side of the bed. "In that case, I think I'll go take a cold shower and see if I can get this problem under control until you're free again."

Emily admiringly watched his back side as he walked toward the en-suite bathroom. "Hey, just don't make it too cold!" she called after him.

About twenty-five minutes had passed by the time she'd finished feeding Peter, burped him, changed him and laid him down to sleep. Emily was curled up on her side of the bed again, covers pulled up tight against her chin when the bathroom door swung open. She quickly closed her eyes, feigning sleep, even though her back was to him and he probably couldn't tell if her eyes were open or not. When she heard the soft, disappointed, sigh escape his mouth, Emily nearly gave in at that moment. But she held off a little longer and enjoyed the feel of the bed as it shifted slightly under the weight of his body. The heat from his freshly washed skin radiated outward and Emily lost her resolve, second by second, as she felt him draw nearer.

Derek pressed his torso against her back and draped one arm across her belly. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Emily could no longer resist. She opened her eyes and flipped over onto her side to face him, her hands eagerly exploring the landscape of his body. Her fingers lightly brushed across something below his waist. "I thought you'd gone to take care of that problem?" she inquired.

"And I thought you were asleep," he whispered, kissing the line of her brow and then down along her nose until his lips rested against hers. "I almost managed to get the problem under control, but the whole time I was showering I could only think about this woman I know. You see… she's the love of my life, the mother of my son, and the smartest, prettiest, most intelligent woman I've ever known. And, well… the problem just wouldn't go away."

Her face flushed as if she were about to make love to him for the first time in her life. "Oh yeah?" her raspy voice was laden with anticipation. "And how are you going to solve the problem this time?"

"Well…" his eyes lifted to peek over at the bassinet. "Where's the little guy?"

"He's in his crib," she answered. "I turned on the musical mobile that your mom bought for him and he was out like a light," Emily pointed over her shoulder at the small baby monitor on her bedside table. "That will alert us if he should need something. But with his full tummy and clean diaper, I'm really hoping he doesn't need anything for at least the next two hours."

His smile beamed like rays of sunlight on a clear day. "In that case…" Derek drew her even closer, his lips re-exploring land he hadn't traversed in over two months. "I think I'll solve this problem of mine by making love to the most beautiful woman on the planet."

"Good answer," she agreed.

* * *

**End**


	17. Father

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Father**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek rolled over onto his side, his head coming to rest on Emily's pillow. The soft sent of coconut and lime assaulted his nostrils. It was a scent he'd grown to love over the last few weeks; the scent of Emily in his bed, in the bedroom they shared, in the house they'd made into a home along with their sweet baby girl, Beth. Some mornings he woke up beside Emily and wondered if he was dreaming. But her loving kiss usually worked better than a pinch to make him realize that reality was sweeter than any dream of her he could have had. But this morning, as his eyes opened and he spied the empty spot beside him, Derek momentarily wondered if the dream was finally over. Then a blur of pink and lavender burst through the door and ran toward the bed.

Beth's dark head of hair and big brown eyes greeted him as she jumped onto the mattress and crawled toward him. She knelt down beside him and grinned, grape juice stains at the corners of her mouth. "Daddy day!" she sang the words, holding a small wrapped gift in her hands. "Daddy day! Daddy day!"

He chuckled, having almost forgotten that it was a special Sunday. Derek spotted Emily standing in the doorway, wearing one of his t-shirts and a pair of black yoga pants. Her hair was matted from sleep but she wore a happy smile on her face as she moved into the room. "I tried to hold her off for a little while longer so you could sleep in," she explained. "But two-year-olds don't really care about sleeping in."

"So I've come to realize," Derek tousled Beth's hair and then kissed her atop the head. Emily joined them on the bed and he leaned into her, stealing a kiss.

"Bethy, are you going to give daddy his present now?" Emily coaxed the child, settling down beside Derek.

Little hands held the item above her head and then dramatically brought it down upon a rather sensitive area of Derek's anatomy. "Daddy day!" Beth exclaimed again.

Emily cringed along with Derek, who was red-faced and speechless as he carefully grasped the gift his daughter had so lovingly bestowed upon him. "Thank you, sweetie," he managed to whisper through gritted teeth. Turning toward Emily, his face eventually softened a little as the pain receded. "I think she's helping abide that one child only rule you came up with."

"Sorry," Emily apologized. "But maybe I can kiss it and make it better later?" she suggested. "Much later, like when a certain two-year-old is asleep."

Morgan's disposition quickly brightened at the prospect. He turned his attention back to the gift in his lap and Beth, who was bouncing up and down beside him chanting about opening the present. "Okay, my little duckling, I'm opening," he tore into the paper around the solid object and soon discovered that it was a ceramic coffee mug. He smiled to see the special pictures that adorned the mug; a black and white collage of Beth during the first two years of her life. He caught Emily's eye and knew she'd been the one behind the gift. He mouthed a thank you to her, but kissed his daughter and thanked her aloud for the mug. "This is the best Father's Day gift ever," he told Beth. "I can take this to work and show everyone how cute you are."

"As if you don't already do that with your photo album," Emily winked.

"Can't help it if I'm a very proud daddy," Derek sat his mug down on the table beside the bed. Then he reached over and grabbed Beth. He hoisted her high above his head, at least as high as his arms could reach. She spread her arms and held her legs out, pretending to be an airplane as they both made the appropriate noises to accommodate the illusion of flight.

As the two of them interacted, Emily felt as if they'd been doing it for years rather than just a few months. The love she saw in both their eyes made her regret the decision she'd made three years ago all over again. "I wish I could get those first two Father's Day holidays back for you," she sighed.

"Hey, there will be none of that today," Derek put the pajama-clad Beth back down on the bed. One hand reached over to stroke Emily's cheek. "That's all in the past, remember? And we agreed to leave the past behind and start over. I'm planning to spend today, and every Father's Day from now on, with my little girl. And that makes me the most happy daddy in the world," he assured her. "So, stop ruining my happiness," he warned in a playful manner while pressing a kiss against her lips the next second. Derek then broke away from Emily, tackle-hugged Beth against the bed without warning and kissed her tummy until the shrieks of laughter in their bedroom reached glass-shattering decibel levels.

Emily's smile returned as she continued to watch the father and daughter duo that she loved with all her heart.

* * *

**End**


	18. Brown

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Brown**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily grabbed his wrist and yanked him inside. She closed the door and turned the deadbolt with her free hand. "Follow me," she instructed, letting go of his arm and moving further into her home.

A somewhat confused Derek obeyed and took in the scenery as it quickly passed by him; muted wall colors, sparkling clean kitchen, comfy furniture in her living room, lots of artwork and just a few personal photographs. Then, suddenly, there were stairs. And he was climbing those stairs behind her. She had said to follow, so he followed. A fair bit of surprise struck him when she led him into a bedroom. Morgan knew instantly that it was not a guest room, but her room. The wall color was pretty much the same as the rest of her place, as was the décor, but the space smelled more like her than the other rooms in her home; a combination of jasmine and vanilla with just a hint of lavender. And the fact that he knew those intimate things about her sent a dangerous shiver through his body.

She rounded a corner into the adjoining bathroom and pointed toward the large Jacuzzi tub in the corner. There were frosted blue-glass votives aligned around the ledge of the tub; candles unlit. And a bottle of lavender bubble bath sat perched near the faucet. "Inside," she pointed toward the tub.

"If you wanted to get me wet, you could've asked nicer," he grinned, brows arched suggestively. Seeing that she wasn't amused, Morgan finally stepped toward the tub and stared down at the drain. He recoiled a little, spotting the giant brown spider that was trying to climb up the inside wall of her tub.

"I tried to wash him down the drain, but he came back," she explained.

He snickered. "Yeah, spiders can be resilient like that." Derek eyed her and noticed she was still a goodly distance away from the tub and spider. "You sure it's the same one? Could be a whole family of them living down there," he teased.

Emily shot him a death glare. "Oh, I'm sure. One of his spindly little legs is a much darker shade of brown than the other ones," she told him.

Morgan looked down again and sure enough she was right. "Pretty observant about your spiders," he noted.

"I'm a profiler, Morgan. I get paid to notice details that may not seem important to anyone else," she needlessly explained the job to him. "And this spider has been here before. I think he may be stalking me."

Derek laughed so hard at her comment that he feared he might wet himself. At least he was in a good place for that to happen. "Prentiss, you carry a gun with you nearly every day. You are not seriously telling me you're afraid of a spider."

"I didn't say I was afraid, and I saw you flinch when you first noticed it," she pointed out another of her keen observations.

"This doesn't have anything to do with the number of spiders people swallow in their sleep, does it?" Morgan asked, avoiding the part where he had indeed been a little surprised by the rather large spider.

She rolled her eyes at him. "That urban legend has been debunked so many times it's not even funny. Do you know how rare it would be to actually swallow a spider in your sleep? First off… one would have to pretty much fall into your mouth, and that's only if you sleep with your mouth open. Then there's the fact that spiders, like just about any other arthropods, actually flee from breath."

"Okay, _Dr. Reid_," he jabbed, good-naturedly.

Her left shoulder shrugged. "He is actually the one who told me all of that once," Emily admitted. She then waved a hand toward the intruding spider. "So, did I waste my phone call or what? Are you planning to do anything?"

"What exactly would you like me to do?" he asked. "Trap it and then release it into the wilds of DC? Or kill it?"

Emily stood with both hands on her hips and a frown that tugged a little more on the right corner of her mouth than the left. "Do I look like the poster girl for the Arachnid Humane Society?"

He chuckled. "Nah, not really."

"Then squash it," she ordered without remorse.

Derek lumbered his way into her tub. He then made a move toward the spider with his hefty booted-foot, but he only managed to remove one brown spider leg before the large arachnid began to scramble more frantically up the side of the porcelain tub. Morgan got the critter on his second stomp, but he also managed to knock over a few of her glass votives, which shattered in the tub. "Ugh," she lamented. "I should've known this would be like putting a bull in a china shop."

"Hey," his hands were held up in supplication as he faced her. "Normally I do my best work in bathtubs when I have all my clothes off."

She shook her head at him. "Save it for the ladies who care, Romeo."

Morgan's lips formed a broad grin. He could see the rosy hue that had flamed her cheeks and knew that she cared. She was just too worried about messing up a perfectly good friendship. He was too. Over the years he'd had few relationships with the female species that didn't involve them sharing his bed for at least one night. Penelope Garcia was one of the first he'd thought of only in a platonic way. JJ fell into that category, too, and even Elle had for the most part. So far, for nearly four years, he'd tried very hard to only think of Emily Prentiss in that same way. But there was something about her that always left him longing for more than mere friendship.

"Why don't I clean up this mess for you?" he offered.

Emily nodded silently, feeling a little bad for having made the snappy remark. He had traipsed clear across town to help her out, even though she'd been ultra vague about her predicament. And the real problem wasn't Derek Morgan or even the spider. It was the less-than-stellar date she'd had with Mick, which had set her off. Things hadn't gone well, to say the least. Emily knew she would have kicked herself for not taking the risk, but now she was kicking herself for having taken it. And all she'd wanted was to come home to a nice hot bubble bath. But a stupid spider had ruined that for her.

She watched as Derek kicked off his shoes and climbed back into the tub. He squatted down and had her waste basket with him; gingerly picking up shards of broken glass and tossing them into the can. Morgan also dampened a washcloth, which he used to wipe up the dead spider guts. In a matter of a few minutes he had it all cleaned up for her. Then he did something amazingly thoughtful; positioning the stopper and turning the water on as hot as it would go. He was filling up the tub for her, even adding an ample amount of lavender bubble bath. And Emily finally had to admit, a big part of her problem was indeed due to Derek Morgan.

As if filling her tub wasn't a sweet enough gesture, she watched as Derek proceeded to light all of the candles around the tub. Emily's stomach coiled, knowing her cautious nature had already fouled up one attempt at a normal life that evening. But she watched him reach for his shoes and something snapped inside her. "I'm interested in testing a theory," Emily blurted out the words without too much forethought.

His shoes remained on her tiled floor as he looked her in the eye. "Oh, and what theory would that be?" Derek's pupils widened with curiosity. He knew crossing the friendship line with Emily would be a dangerous turn of events to their evening. But the feeling in the pit of his stomach was speaking much louder than his rational thoughts at the moment.

Her heart pounded out a rhythm of anticipation and fear as she decided to take her second risk of the night. "The one in which you claim to do your best work in bathtubs while naked," she replied, already imagining their bodies intertwined in the scalding water.

"Well…" a smile quickly transformed his face as he crossed the distance between them. His arms snaked around her waist, fingers clawing desirously at the hem of her shirt. Hands rested firmly against the soft, warm skin at the small of her back. "That theory has already been proven. But if you want to re-test it, I have no issue with obtaining a second opinion," he lowered his lips to hers. It was a hesitant first kiss, followed by a probing second one. And their collective doubts faded.

* * *

**End**


	19. Colorless

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Colorless**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

When he looked at Emily, Derek didn't see a white woman. Nor did he see her as Caucasian or Irish, or any other part of her genetic background that made up the color of her skin. Derek saw the woman he'd come to know over the last several years; a woman who was smart and sensible, silly and sarcastic, sexy and serene. He saw the daughter of an ambassador and business man who'd fought her parents' authority so she could forge her own path through life.

Derek saw the kind-hearted profiler who would sit down with a child victim who'd just lost their whole family, hold their hand and lend comfort. She was the profiler who spoke a bevy of different languages to converse and connect with non-English speaking victims and suspects. In her he saw the FBI agent who was constantly thinking and processing information, making sure that no stone went unturned in the course of an investigation.

He saw the woman who had taken the time to calmly talk to his mother and sisters, assuring them that she and the team where there to help support Derek after he'd been arrested in Chicago. Derek saw a woman who would do that very same thing for a complete stranger, and most certainly for any of her other friends or colleagues. And he saw the person who'd go above and beyond the requirements of the job just to make sure that justice prevailed.

At the same time, he saw the woman who had tried hard to resist him, and the woman he'd tried very hard to resist. He also knew that she was the woman who didn't look at him and see a black man, or a half-African American and half-white man either. When she gazed into his eyes and he into hers, Derek knew they weren't analyzing the different shades of their skin. Those exterior shells were trivial to both of them, because their love was colorless.

But the most important thing he saw at the moment, as Emily walked down the aisle toward him in her gorgeous white gown, was the woman about to become his wife. Derek simply saw the woman he loved.

* * *

**End**


	20. Birthday

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Birthday**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The bullpen was quiet.

The bullpen was rarely quiet, except for the one day Emily would have welcomed some noise. She didn't like being the center of attention, but even a small acknowledgment of what the day represented would have been nice. Instead, Reid had his nose glued to the desk as he intently worked on a case write-up. Hotch was being super-productive behind closed doors. Rossi was already gone for the weekend, as was JJ who'd taken time off to spend with Henry and Will. Garcia was also away, enjoying a long weekend with Kevin at a B&B on the Virginia coast. Then there was Derek, tucked away in his office down the hall.

Emily tried not to think about how extraordinarily long and boring her day had been as she dutifully finished typing up her third report. It was just after five o'clock when she knocked at Hotch's door and slipped the last file onto his desk. He made the smallest grunt of acknowledgment, but didn't even look up from what he was working on. Emily didn't bother him any further, simply backing out of the room as silently as she'd entered. When she returned to her desk, Reid's computer was shut down and his belongs gone. "Great," she mumbled to herself. "Even the genius has plans for tonight."

As she glanced around, only Anderson was still working. His keyboard barely even made a sound as he typed. Again she thought the bullpen was far too quiet, but she knew it would be nothing compared to the empty apartment that awaited her. Emily tried to think of someone she could call as she gathered up her jacket and purse; someone who might want to grab a bite to eat or go out for drinks. No one came to mind, though, other than her mother. But the prospect of listening to her mother drone on about the current state of foreign policy didn't sound appealing in the least. Even her silent apartment was starting to look better in comparison.

She said good-night to Anderson and then detoured to the ladies room before finally heading out. Emily was almost to the elevator when Derek's voice halted her step. "Hey, Prentiss," he greeted, managing to make even the simplest words sound velvety smooth.

"Hi," her reply was simple, and a bit sharper than she'd anticipated. They walked together, covering the last few strides to the elevator.

Frown lines formed between his brows as he pressed the down arrow button and digested her somewhat glum greeting. His shirt and tie were rumpled, jacket tossed over one arm. The fancier attire was due to a meeting he'd attended earlier in the day with Strauss and Hotch. "You have plans tonight?" Morgan asked.

"Yeah," she nodded, quickly scrambling for something to say as the elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside the car. "I have a date." Emily kept a straight face, but mentally berated herself for the lame lie.

"Oh," he sounded a little disappointed.

Emily's gaze rested on the elevator floor as the gentle lull of weightlessness ushered in their descent. She ran her tongue along both upper and lower lips, wetting them sufficiently so that her words might actually escape without too much effort, and hopefully a bit more truth. "Another date with my hot tub that is," she added. "And maybe a glass of wine or a beer." If it was possible to die from embarrassment she figured now would be the perfect moment to be struck down.

"Oh," this time his sentiment was spoken with a genuine amount of delight. "In that case, maybe the tub could wait while you have a drink with me?"

Embarrassment hadn't taken her yet, but reluctance was doing its part to help out. "I'm sure you probably have other plans."

"No, if I had other plans I wouldn't be asking you to have a drink with me," Derek pointed out.

She chewed on her bottom lip, wishing she'd been born with more self-confidence when it came to members of the opposite sex. With her hands wrapped around a weapon, and an UnSub in her sights, she was one of the toughest souls around. Put her in a small elevator with an attractive man, who was also a good friend that she admired greatly, and she turned into a blubbering idiot. "Actually," Emily summoned the courage she normally reserved for those who didn't know her well enough to make her feel vulnerable. "I am pretty hungry." And she'd desperately wanted someone to hang out with just a few minutes ago.

Derek's face transitioned from slightly annoyed into pleased. "Then I guess I'll have to feed you first before I try to get you drunk," he quipped. He enjoyed the soft, slightly nasal, laughter that escaped her mouth as the elevator doors slid open. They stepped out into the dim parking garage. "Where are you parked?"

"Crap," Emily couldn't believe she'd forgotten about her car being in the shop and quickly explained that fact to Derek. "I was supposed to call a cab to come pick me up," she rummaged around in her bag for a second, looking for her cell phone.

"I did offer dinner and drinks, which means we'll be headed in the same direction," Derek pointed out. "I can drive and then drop you off at your place later," he suggested, motioning toward his dark blue SUV that was parked just one row over. She nodded and they moved that way without further discussion. He hit the unlock button on his keychain and opened the passenger's side door for her. Within a few minutes they were headed towards DC. "So, how was your day?" he asked.

It seemed rather odd making small talk about her day with a colleague, but it had been a rare day in which they'd all been cooped up in the office with little contact. "Eh, you know," she shrugged. "Reports and filing… and for some fun, Reid and I discussed the similarities and differences between the Super Friends comics and the television series."

Morgan chuckled for a moment, uncertain if she'd made up the last part or not. He glanced over at her and caught the wink she sent him, which only proved to confuse him even further. "Well, it sounds infinitely more exciting than my day, in which the highlight was me spilling coffee all over Strauss' case files."

"No," Emily cringed as she watched him nod to confirm that it was a true story. "You really did have a good day," her sympathetic sarcasm rolled off the tongue. "Maybe I'll be the one buying you drinks tonight. It sounds like you could use them more than me, Mr. Clumsy," she teased, settling back in her seat, suddenly feeling much more at ease knowing she wasn't the only coffee spiller in the BAU.

He was glad to hear her laughter again. It was infectious, but Morgan pretended to be hurt by her comment. "You like that I made a fool of myself?"

She shook her head. "Not at all, it just makes you seem more human."

"So, what was I before?" Derek queried. "An insect?"

"Superhuman," Emily countered. "You know, with all of your chasing and leaping, and jumping and running and… should I go on?"

He chuckled. "No. I guess I don't see any of that as superhuman, though. It's just what I do."

"And humble," she sighed. Actually it was more of a ridiculously foolish and somewhat desperate moan, for which she had no cause of action but to try and further burry her feelings. Because Derek Morgan was a good guy who didn't need any complications in his life, especially not the likes of her. "So, seriously, what kind of Friday night plans did you blow off to make this offer of having drinks with me?" Emily retreated to self deprecation. It was in a zip code she was familiar with.

A deflated sigh left his lungs. "You know what… maybe I should just drop you off now, because I really don't find this side of you attractive."

Emily felt like she'd just been slapped in the face. "Excuse me?"

Derek gripped the wheel a little tighter. "You are probably the smartest woman I've ever known. And maybe you don't leap, jump, or whatever the way I do, but you're caring and understanding nature has endeared you to numerous victims. They feel safe with you, willing to reveal parts of their lives that are often times vital to solving a case," he pointed out. "On a personal level, we've laughed together, had great conversations about literature, and debates about music and pop culture. You're funny, honest and a pleasure to talk to. I think any guy would be lucky to spend an evening with you, Prentiss. As long as you shut down the pity party, because that honestly doesn't suit you," Morgan reiterated.

She promptly turned her head to gaze out the side window, afraid to open her mouth again. The October night sky was hazy with clouds that looked like they were heavy with unshed rain. Emily eyed the other cars on the road, seeing only their darkened windows and red tail lights. She wondered what the people in those vehicles were talking about. Maybe there was a family on their way home after picking up a child from swim lessons or soccer practice. Perhaps an older couple going to visit their grandchildren. Or teenagers on their way to the movies. Their silence filled the vehicle all the way into the hub of DC before she finally spoke again. "I'm sorry," her words came out soft, but sincere. "I guess it's just this stupid day that has me a little… never mind," Emily stopped herself short of revealing further self-pity. She faced him again. "Thank you for your offer, Morgan. It really means a lot to me."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Oh, hey…" Derek turned toward her a little, pointing. "Was that Adams Street that we just passed?"

"I think so, yeah," she nodded. "Why?"

"There's a house I've been working on a few blocks down from here on Adams Street," he revealed. "I left some important rental documents there that I was planning to pick up tomorrow. I didn't realize I'd be this close tonight," he looked over at her. "But I can come back. It's not a big deal."

"Why don't you turn around," she suggested, thankful to have their conversation divert into easier territory. "It's not that far back, and it'll save you a trip tomorrow."

He shook his head. "Nope, I promised you dinner."

"Well, I doubt I'm going to waste away anytime soon," she joked. "Turn around," Emily insisted.

Morgan did, and they reached the intended street within a few minutes. He took a left and maneuvered down the residential street until he parked in front of a red-brick Victorian row house. The entry facade was illuminated by a sconce fixture that highlighted the intricate stone details of the historic structure. He set the brake, cut the engine and stepped out of the car. "Hey, why don't you come in for a second," Derek suggested, leaning against the partially opened driver's door to peer inside. "I'd love to show you what I've done so far. Then I promise to feed you straight away, no more delays."

Emily grinned and unlatched her seatbelt. "Sounds like a plan," she agreed, actually quite curious to see the inside.

They traversed the front walk and stood on the porch as Derek flipped through several keys to find the right one. He finally opened the door and ushered her inside. "I think you'll really like this," he said, flipping on the entry hall light.

She watched as the whole house flooded with light, and listened as a chorus greeted her. "SURPRISE!" Crowded in the entry and further back into the living room she could see Hotch and Jack, Rossi, Reid, Will and JJ with little Henry, Garcia and Kevin. And to her greater surprise, even her mother was there. Emily wanted to both hug and hit Derek at the same time, but shock stopped her from taking any action.

"We really surprised you, didn't we?" Derek asked with a smug smile affixed to his face.

She nodded in response, still pretty much speechless. Penelope was the first to break through the group and wrap her arms around Emily. "Happiest of days to you, birthday lady," she took a step back and grinned. "We got you good!" the red-headed woman exclaimed. "_Kevin is taking me to a Bed and Breakfast in Virginia this weekend_," Garcia exaggeratedly repeated the words she'd told Emily that morning. "Did you really fall for that bit?" she chuckled.

Emily shrugged, graciously accepting that she'd been duped. She eyed Hotch. "How did you get here so fast? You were still in your office when I took off."

The team leader looked a little guilty. "There may have been some illegal use of FBI sirens involved. And JJ picked Jack up for me, brought him here," he explained.

"Happy Birthday, Emily," Jack sweetly said, moving forward to give her a hug.

In that moment, Emily felt horrible for ever thinking her friends had forgotten her birthday. The gathering was proof positive that they were more than just friends, they were family. When Jack's thoughtful hug ended, Emily moved toward her mother. "I'm glad you came," she told the woman.

Elizabeth's smile radiated confidence, although she felt somewhat out of place with the group. "Agent Morgan asked us to come and I thought it sounded like a nice thing to do for you. Your father wanted to be here too, but he got called away on last minute business. He sends his regrets," she relayed. There was an awkward moment after she spoke, in which they both silently stared at one another. Finally the ambassador broke formation and hugged her daughter.

More hugs were bestowed upon the birthday girl, followed by cake, ice cream and even presents. All of which made Emily feel like a queen for the evening, and to her surprise, she rather enjoyed the attention. Her mother ducked out first. After that JJ and Will had to get going so they could put Henry to bed at a reasonable hour. Hotch left with Jack shortly after, citing similar reasons. Rossi claimed he was getting too old for such ruckus gatherings and skipped out fairly early too. Reid, Garcia and Kevin stayed until after midnight, playing cards and drinking. When they'd gone, Emily collapsed on the sofa in Morgan's living room. He sunk down beside her, both of them feeling slightly buzzed from the amount of alcohol that had been imbibed.

"I was expecting this place to be in some state of complete remodel, with hooks and wires on the walls," Emily said, taking a moment to really admire the place. Aside from the small mess the party had created, the place was perfectly put together. The painted walls and wood work were all very authentic, keeping in time with the period in which it had been built. There were some modern touches as well, all of them perfectly blended in with the traditional decor. "It's really gorgeous," she marveled at Morgan's handiwork.

"Thank you," he smiled proudly. "I finished the place about two months ago and moved in a few weeks ago."

"You live here?" she was surprised.

Derek nodded. "I always pour a lot of myself into the places I restore, but somehow this one really got under my skin and I knew I had to live here," he explained.

"So," she sat up. "Those important rental documents you left behind?"

"Non-existent," he admitted.

A smile settled over her features as she further admired the surroundings. "Is it too late for a tour?"

"Not at all," Derek promptly got to his feet before Emily and reached down to take her hand. The tour of the downstairs went rather quickly, since she'd explored most of it already. When they moved upstairs, he first took her to one of his favorite accomplishments. Morgan turned the knob and flung the door open. "Ta-da!" he flipped a light switch to reveal a room with dark-wood cabinetry and a stainless steel washer and dryer.

Emily's nose scrunched up as she laughed. "This is worthy of a ta-da?" she questioned his enthusiasm.

"Come on, Emily," he moved into the small room and held his arms out, practically twirling around in a circle. "It's an upstairs laundry room. Do you know how many people would die for this? I happen to like it a lot. Most of my laundry originates up here, so why spend time carting it downstairs to wash and then back upstairs after it's been dried and folded?"

"You do make a very good point," she conceded, delighted to see him so enthusiastic about anything other than tackling UnSubs.

"I thought so," Morgan took her hand again and walked her down the hall. They peeked into two bedrooms that were both painted and adorned with crown molding and billowy curtains, but held no furniture of any sort. Then he guided her into the main suite, which had become his bedroom.

The focal wall behind his bed was painted a shade of blue that reminded Emily of a cloudless summer day. The rest of the room was a creamy almond color with more detailed molding framing the ceiling and walls. Dark walnut planks paved the hardwood floor. A striped rug covered the area beneath and around the bed, which she imagined provided soft, warm places for cold feet in the mornings. Blue satin curtains adorned a large bay window. And the wall directly across from his bed presented another perfectly woven modern touch; floor-to-ceiling natural stone tiles with a flush mounted gas fireplace.

"What do you think about this?" he waved a hand at the fireplace. "I considered the whole big screen, wall-mounted television thing, but figured that was more suited to a dedicated TV room. Which will probably be one of the other bedrooms up here, or the basement when I get around to finishing it," Morgan explained. "I figure the bedroom should be a more romantic, restful place; the kind of spot a guy can curl up with a beautiful woman," he concluded.

She suddenly feared they were wading in suggestive waters, but nodded her head in agreement. "So, are you gonna show me how it works?"

Morgan moved across the room to grab the remote off his bedside table. When he turned around he didn't see her anywhere. A frown rested on his lips as he walked back toward the fireplace, thinking she'd left the room. That's when he caught a glimpse of her dark head sticking up at the foot of his bed. He looked down and smiled to see Emily seated on the carpet there, her back against the footboard. "Why are you sitting on my floor?"

Emily's eyes rose to meet his, a spark of desire edging her brown irises. "Because if I lay down on your bed I figure you might get the wrong idea."

He thought it was a little late for that as he sat down beside her on the rug. But Derek did his best to keep things on a friends-only level, hitting a button on the remote which caused the simulated flames to come to life. After a few minutes, the warmth from the gas fireplace hit them. That heat, mixed with the warmth in their bellies from a bit too much alcohol, caused their bodies to slowly lean against one another. "I hope you had a good birthday," he whispered the words against her ear.

"One of the best; thanks to you," Emily replied. "Garcia spilled the beans earlier, telling me the surprise was mostly your doing."

"Yeah, well… my baby girl has a big mouth," he said.

Sleep threatened to carry her off, but a swarm of conflicting thoughts were keeping her mind very much awake. Emily turned a little so she was facing him. Their foreheads touched, making each other look like one-eyed creatures. "You know, some days I hate being the smartest woman a guy knows," she confessed. "Some days I wish I was the sexiest, or even just the somewhat desired," Emily revealed.

Derek closed his eyes, remembering a time when he'd thought Emily Prentiss was way out of his league. Now the implication of her words was causing him to think otherwise, friends-only be damned. He let his hands glide along the soft cashmere of her sweater, inching their way upward until his fingers weaved through her silken hair. "You are, Emily," he told her, moaning the words passionately against her lips as he finally leaned in for that first kiss. "Trust me, you are."

* * *

**End**


	21. Years

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

Disclaimer 2: _The Tale of Peter Rabbit_ text belongs to Beatrix Potter.

* * *

**Years**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"_Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were - Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, under the root of a very big fir-tree…_"

Emily read the story to her baby boy as he sat curled up on her lap in his green, frog-printed pajamas. He wasn't much of a baby anymore, though. Peter's head leaned against her chest, his brown eyes still open but droopy. His dark, wavy hair had grown in after a few months and was getting thicker every day. And he looked more like Derek every day. It was hard for her to believe that it had only been one year ago that she'd given birth to him. Sometimes it seemed like several years had already passed, as they'd watched all his firsts. But, at the same time, Emily felt like she'd barely blinked and the time had rushed by.

Derek entered the boy's room, both hands behind his back as he watched his two favorite people. Seeing Emily in the rocking chair with their son was a sight he'd come to cherish over the last twelve months. "He's still awake? I thought for sure the bath would have done him in."

"Me too," she looked up. "I'm trying a bit of Reid's gift to see if I can get him down," Emily indicated the book their dear friend had given Peter as a first birthday present. "Although, I imagine my parent's thoughtful gift of a savings bond might be even more boring to read and much more sleep inducing," she chuckled softly, glancing down at her son again and kissing his forehead. "I think all the birthday festivities got him over-stimulated."

"Well," Morgan moved closer and kneeled down in front of them. Both hands came from behind his back. One of them was holding a small red gift bag. "I was going to do this once he'd fallen asleep, but I can't wait." He extended the bag to Emily. "This gift is for you."

She smiled, but was confused. "It's not _my_ birthday," Emily let the book fall to her lap as she grasped the bag.

"Nope," Derek replied. "Just open it," he insisted.

Emily removed a layer of brightly colored tissue paper and reached further into the bag. She pulled out the item and her eyes became glued to the small velvet box that had been revealed. "Derek…" she carefully opened it and her breath hitched. The ring inside was a simple silver and solitary diamond setting, but Emily thought it was the loveliest ring she's ever laid eyes on. She still couldn't find the words to convey her surprise, though.

Morgan took her left hand. "I know we've been doing fine without all the formalities, but this past year of my life has been more than I ever expected; difficult at times, and completely wonderful at times. Through it all, you've been there with me; my lover, the mother of my child, my constant source of guidance. And it would be my honor to call you my wife. So, will you marry me, Emily?"

"You know we don't need titles to validate our love or our family," she assured him.

"I do know that," Derek agreed. "But I've thought long and hard about this and I really want us to spend the rest of our lives together. For the next fifty, or however many years we have left, I want to wake up with you by my side. I want to call you my wife, and I want every other man who walks by us to see that ring and know they need to steer clear," he concluded.

"Oh, so you want to mark your territory like a wild animal?" she grinned.

"Yep," he replied.

Emily chuckled softly, looking down at her son who was still trying hard to fend off sleep. "What do you think about all of this, Peter? Should mommy and daddy make things official in the eyes of the law?"

"Da," the boy replied, his eyelids slowly closing.

Derek's brows rose as he smoothed a hand over his son's downy hair. "You see there," he looked to Emily. "He said da, which is clearly sleepy shorthand for daddy. All of which obviously means he's siding with me."

Her laughter returned as she regarded both Derek and Peter, knowing they'd be her family for years to come, no matter what. "Actually, da also means yes in Russian," she pointed out.

"You've been teaching him Russian already?"

She shook her head, joyfulness still present on her curled lips. "No, I guess he's just a natural," Emily looked down at the ring again and plucked it from the box. "Either way, I think that makes the vote unanimous," she handed the ring to Derek, her eyes misting with tears.

"Yeah?" he asked, looking for final confirmation even as he slid the ring onto her finger.

"Yes," her head bobbed up and down. "I will marry you, Derek."

* * *

**End**


	22. Sleep

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Sleep**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

JJ and Reid stood just inside the BAU conference room, watching Morgan and Prentiss sleep. Derek was reclined in one chair with his head craned backwards. He was softly snoring. Emily was hunched forward, arms folded atop the table and her head resting on those arms. It was still a quarter to ten, so their meeting wasn't due to start for another fifteen minutes. But JJ knew if Hotch found them sleeping in the conference room he wouldn't be thrilled. She looked to Reid, who only shrugged, unsure what to do. Then the media liaison glanced at the stack of files in her arms. She made a snap decision and loudly dumped the files onto the table.

Both sleeping agents jumped awake, looking around, trying to determine where they were. "I'm guessing the two of you didn't sleep well last night," JJ chuckled. "You look pretty tired," the woman added.

"Tired and sore," Derek clarified as he stretched both arms over his head and let go of a huge yawn.

"We really didn't need to know that last part," Reid put in, taking a seat at the table close to Emily.

Derek scoffed. "Trust me; it's not from anything fun. I'm sore because I had a five-year-old kicking me in the ribs most of the night," he turned and glared at Emily.

"You let Peter sleep with you guys?" JJ asked.

Morgan's head shook. "No, _we_ didn't let him... _she_ did," again his eyes settled on his wife.

"Hey, would you rather have sore sleep or no sleep at all?" Emily finally defended her actions. "We have to pick our battles. Peter has been having trouble getting to sleep in the new place, and wakes up with nightmares when he does managed to fall asleep in his own rom. I figured it would be easiest to just let him sleep with us for a while until he gets used to the different surroundings."

"Who would have though that a couple of the toughest profilers could be so whipped by a five year old?" Reid commented.

Emily ran both hands through her hair, attempting to fix it as much as possible without the use of a mirror. She chuckled mirthlessly as she faced the younger profiler. "You just wait, genius. We'll see how much sleep you get this weekend," her voice was edged with warning, but mostly amusement. When she noticed Reid frown in confusion, she added, "You do remember that you agreed to watch Peter for us this weekend, right?"

Reid's whole face paled. "Um, maybe I need to cancel that agreement," he tried to twist out of the responsibility.

The weary parents both shook their heads. "Oh, no," Emily replied. "We've been looking forward to this weekend for many, many months. But don't worry, you'll do fine," her laughter echoed through the room as Rossi and Hotch filtered in.

"Did we miss something?" Dave asked.

JJ chuckled. "Just Reid's helpful-nature sighing in regretful agony," she answered.

* * *

**End**


	23. Silence

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Silence**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Morgan entered the BAU room with a case file tucked under his right arm and a full cup of coffee in his left hand. Emily followed close on his heels, also with coffee and a file in hand. They both pulled up seats at the round table, beside each other. Rossi and Reid were seated across from them and JJ sat at the position closest to the video screen that banked the far wall.

"Morning," Reid greeted his co-workers, who were more than just that. Over the years they'd all come to consider each other family. It had started as a byproduct of the job, spending so much time together. But they'd come to think of it as more than just a happenstance thing.

"Good morning," Derek replied, seeming more chipper than he usually was in the morning.

Emily plunked down in her chair and sipped at the hot coffee in her mug. She waved her free hand around the table, sure to catch everyone with the gesture. But she didn't say a word.

"Did you not sleep well?" JJ asked, sensing that her friend seemed a little bit out of sorts.

Prentiss shook her head, but still remained mute.

"Emily has taken a vow of silence," Derek explained.

Rossi chuckled. "Why? Are you planning to join a convent or something?" he asked the woman.

She rolled her eyes at his comment, but maintained her silent treatment of the group.

"Nope, no convents any time soon," Moran replied in her stead. "At least I sure hope not," he added with a goofy grin. Seeing that his wife was not amused, he banished the look from his face. "It's a self inflicted punishment, because she thinks she's the worst parent to ever walk the face of the Earth," he explained, exaggerating the words as he tried to make a point to his wife that her punishment was unwarranted.

"Why would she think that?" Reid questioned. Realizing he'd aimed the question at Derek, he felt a little bad. "I mean," he faced Emily, hoping to engage her directly. "Why would you think that? Peter loves you. You've been a really great mom to him."

Emily couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face due to Reid's compliment. But she still felt like she shouldn't say anything.

Again Derek took it upon himself to speak for her, seeing that she was planning to keep the charade up for a while longer. He was just glad Hotch hadn't arrived yet. "Last night she accidentally said a bad word and Peter instantly picked it up. He said it several times throughout dinner and into the evening, before bedtime. So, naturally, she blames herself," Morgan concluded.

Dave laughed. "I'm sorry, but that's funny."

Even JJ was smiling at what Derek had told them. "What did you say, the F-word?" she asked.

Emily shook her head to signal a negative answer.

"S-H-I-T," Morgan supplied, spelling it out, as if JJ were a kid as well.

"Well, that's not so bad," Rossi stopped laughing, seeing that Emily was clearly upset at her performance in front of her son.

The silent woman sighed. "I still feel horrible," she finally spoke.

"What do you feel horrible about?" Hotch asked as he entered the room. He looked from face to face, curious as to what he'd missed.

"Nothing," Emily clammed up, not wanting to go over it all again, especially not with her boss.

"Emily said the S-word in front of Peter and now she feels kind of bad about it," Rossi explained. His revelation of the secret garnered him a glare from the woman in question. "What?" the man shrugged. "It's funny. Everyone should be able to share in that."

Hotch dropped his files onto the table and caught Emily's attention. "We've all done it," he told her.

Emily's eyes widened. "You?" she asked.

He nodded as he took a seat between Rossi and Derek. "Oh yeah, I said damn-it once in front of Jack. I thought Haley was going to kick me out of the house. And Jack played around with it a few times, but we explained that it wasn't polite and daddy made a mistake. He was fine after that," the Unit Chief concluded.

"Thank you," Emily smiled, feeling a little more at ease.

Derek looked at her with his hands held up in the air. "I already tried to tell you that ten times last night and this morning, but Hotch you finally listen to?" he hated to admit that he was a little hurt by the exchange.

"You're my husband, Derek. You're supposed to say those things," she pointed out.

Hotch winced a little and JJ got up to close the door. "Prentiss, you might want to watch the usband-hay talk in the office," Hotch noted.

"Oh, shit," Emily swore, realizing the rather large blunder that she'd made. So far they'd managed to keep their relationship a secret from Strauss and the other FBI brass. A second after the latest words flew from her lips she clamped both hands over her mouth and then lowered her head. She rested her forehead against the table. A small, muffled and aggravated, noise emitted from her mouth, but it was nothing that made any sense to those in the room.

Rossi laughed again and the others all chuckled softly, too. Derek put a hand against her back and rubbed it in a circular motion several times. "Hey, it's okay," he whispered. "We'll just be sure to pick up a bar of soap on the way home tonight so we can wash your mouth out," Morgan couldn't help teasing her.

Emily sat up straight again and glared at her husband for a moment. "Can we please get on with the briefing," she pleaded.

Their laughter quickly died down as JJ took center stage and dove into the newest case.

* * *

**End**


	24. Mother

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Mother**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek quietly pushed the door open and stuck his head inside the dimly lit hospital room. The woman lying on the bed was motionless, eyes closed, and hooked to half a dozen machines; oxygen and IV lines that led to places he couldn't see. His heart went out to her, but his focus zeroed in on her daughter. Emily was seated on a plastic chair to the left of her mother's bed, feet planted flat on the linoleum floor. She was hunched over, leaning with her forearms against her knees. The fingers of her left hand hovered at the entrance of her mouth; nails looking rather war-torn.

"Hey," he finally made his presence known, slipping all the way into the room and shutting the door. When Emily turned her head toward him, Derek was fairly certain he'd never seen her look so upset. Actually, he thought there was a modicum of fear in her eyes. And he was absolutely certain he'd never seen anything close to fear on her face before. It nearly broke his heart. "I brought flowers," he indicated the vase in his hands. Morgan sat them down on the rolling table to the right of the ambassador's bed. He'd hoped they might brighten the place, but seeing Emily and her mother, Derek realized that was probably a lot to ask of tulips and daisies.

"How did you know?" Emily finally spoke, her voice a distant shell of its usual effervescence.

He settled into the chair beside her, hoping her words had been an invitation. "JJ called me."

She nodded, the ghost of a smile curling her lips. "We were having drinks with Garcia when I got the call about what happened. I told them I wanted to go alone, but I should have known JJ would contact someone. She always has a way of bringing the team together."

"Emily," Derek faced her. "I'm not here because of a responsibility to the team. I'm here because I thought you could use a friend." Silence filled the space between them and he wanted to ask how she was, but that answer was pretty obvious. "What has the doctor told you?" he asked instead.

Her shoulders rose and fell. "Basically all we can do is wait and see," she replied. "He said that strokes have different effects on different people, and apparently this one wasn't very serious, but… I've never…" Emily heaved a sigh as her eyes fell back upon her mother. "I don't think I've ever seen her sick, not even so much as a sniffle in all my years. My mother has always been a pillar of strength and composure. Although she did tell me a few years ago that she doubts herself all the time, but never lets it show." Emily glanced over at him again. "I don't know what to do for her," she admitted. "I feel helpless."

"Where's your dad?"

"Stuck in Milan. His flight doesn't take off for another hour."

"Well, I haven't done a lot of this, either," Derek sat forward a little. "But I have heard that hand holding is usually good," he suggested, finding it odd to be explaining compassion to the most compassionate women he'd ever known. He'd watched her comfort dozens of strangers over the years.

"I'm pretty sure I haven't held my mother's hand since I was two," Emily replied, clearly hesitant about what he'd just proposed.

Morgan didn't know very much about the relationship Emily shared with her mother, but he guessed her childhood hadn't been filled with a lot of hugs and kisses like his had been. But the worry he saw in her eyes told him that she cared a great deal about the woman who'd given birth to her. He reached out and took her left hand in his and then leaned forward and gently grasped her mother's right hand. Derek brought both their hands together on the edge of the bed, wrapping Emily's fingers around her mothers. "All you do is let her know you're here," he whispered.

Emily didn't bother trying to stop the tear that rolled down her cheek as soon as she made physical contact with her mother. With gentle ease, Derek had bridged a long standing gap between mother and daughter, and she had no idea how she could ever repay him for that. Emily reached out with her free hand, placing it against Morgan's wrist. "Will you stay with me," her voice wavered as she made the request. "Just for a little while longer."

He sat back, squeezing her hand reassuringly. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

**End**


	25. Family

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Family**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"_Hey, it's me again._"

Derek had already seen it was her on his caller ID. He'd even been tempted to not even answer due to that fact. "Hello again, you," he pushed the words out, trying really hard not to be upset with her.

"_Okay,_" Emily began. "_So, I just found some fresh spinach and I was thinking that I could make a big spinach and feta salad to go with the chicken and rice pilaf I'm planning for tonight. How does that sound?_"

He took a deep breath, shaking his head even though she couldn't see his exasperation through the phone. "I think it sounds just as good as the last eight suggestions you've made. Honestly, they're not coming here for the food. You could serve my mother and sisters peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and they wouldn't mind."

"_Right,_" she scoffed at his response. "_They're flying in to meet their granddaughter and niece for the first time; a child who is two and a half years old; a child I didn't tell any of you about for the last three years. How many strikes against me is that already? I'm certainly not adding PB&J to that list._"

"Fine," Derek realized he wasn't going to win the argument against her. "Just stop calling me about all of this."

"_You don't even care,_" she huffed.

Morgan resisted the urge to hang up on her right then. He loved her to death, but she could be more of a handful than Beth some days. Of course, they'd only been living together for a few weeks before deciding to throw his mother and sisters into the mix. Derek knew that was a lot to ask of a new relationship, but he really hoped that the initial tensions would soon fade. "Yes, of course I care. But you are obsessing," he pointed out the raw truth.

"_I am not obs…_"

"Emily," he stopped her before she could further protest. "You have called me ten times in an hour. Please, just pick something, buy it and get home. I have to leave for the airport in an hour and you have my car. I love you, good-bye," he finally hung up without waiting for a reply. Morgan felt a bit bad, but she was really starting to get on his very last nerve.

Derek dumped the cell phone onto the kitchen counter and was about to head upstairs to check on his sleeping beauty when there was a knock at the front door. Morgan detoured to the entry, peeked through the window at the top of the door and smiled. He yanked the door open with surprise and delight. Morgan stood on the porch and wrapped his arms around the woman standing there. "Mama," he stepped back, kissing her cheek. "What are you doing here?"

Fran Morgan chuckled. "I did tell you we were coming to visit, didn't I?"

"Yes," he grinned. "I just meant that you're early. I was planning to pick you and the girls up at the airport later."

"We were offered seats on an earlier flight and I really didn't have time to call you, it all happened so fast," she explained. "And then we decided to take a cab from the airport here to save you the trouble. Well, actually we took two cabs. The girls headed to the hotel first thing to change and get settled there. But I couldn't resist stopping here first to see you right away."

His smile grew brighter, so pleased to have his mom visiting. It was a rare occasion that it wasn't him flying to Chicago to see all of them. Derek put his arm about her shoulder and ushered into the house, closing the door behind them. "What is this talk about a hotel? I thought we agreed that you'd all stay here with us."

"You said it was only two bedrooms. That's hardly enough space for five adults and a child," she replied, gazing around the house. It was small, but cozy and very tidy. There were even bunches of fresh flowers in several places. Clearly that was Emily's doing, because she knew her son never kept house to that extent.

He took her purse and sat it on a chair in the entry then led her into the living room. "There's a full basement set up with beds for Sarah and Desi, and you can stay in our room and Emily and I are planning to sleep on an air mattress in Beth's room."

She waved a dismissive hand at his suggestion. "I can't put you out like that."

"Mama, you're not putting anyone out. I promise. You flew all the way here, I don't want you spending money on a hotel too," he continued to protest, wondering why all the women in his life were trying to be difficult this particular day.

"I'd spare no expense to see my granddaughter. Neither of your sisters seems to be in a hurry to give me grandbabies. Beth could be my only one, which means I plan to spoil her rotten. So, where is she?"

Derek sighed, admitting defeat for the moment. Hopefully he could try again later to convince her to stay with them. "Beth's still napping. We weren't expecting you until later, remember?"

"Right," she nodded. "Well, where is Emily?"

"Um," he wasn't sure what all he should tell her about Emily's sudden neurotic behavior. "She's just at the store, should be home soon."

Fran spun around, having sensed a note of something in his voice that seemed guarded. "I really hope she's not going to any trouble on our account. I wouldn't want her making a big fuss about this visit."

He shrugged off her words. "No, of course not. Emily's not much of a fusser." Derek directed her toward the kitchen at the back of the house. "Would you like something to drink? How about some water? Or iced tea, maybe some lemonade?"

His mother frowned as she came to stop beside a kitchen counter. She faced her son and noticed that he was having trouble making eye contact with her. "Derek, I've know you since the day you were born. Do not try to lie to your mother."

"Okay," his shoulders sagged a little. "Emily is a little nervous about the visit. But you didn't hear that from me," he held his hands up for a moment, but smiled as he went about getting his mother something to drink.

They both sat down at the kitchen table and sipped lemonade, chatting about her trip. Beth came wandering into the room about twenty minutes later; her duck tucked under one arm as she sleepily made her way to Derek's side. "Daddy, up?" she asked, wanting to be held.

"Hey, sweetheart," Morgan plucked her off the floor and sat her on his lap. He kissed her forehead as she snuggled against his chest. "You didn't take a very long nap. I bet you knew that your grandma was here, didn't you?" he asked. Derek directed the girl's attention toward his mother. "Can you say hi to grandma?"

Beth looked at the woman and seemed a little confused. "Grandma? No," she shook her head.

Derek chuckled and flashed his mother an apologetic smile. "I think she's used to Elizabeth as grandma. She obviously doesn't understand," he looked down at his daughter. "This is my mommy, she's your other grandma," he tried to explain.

Fran smiled to watch her son interact with the girl. "Beth, maybe you'd like to call me something else?" she suggested. "How about, Nana?"

The child laughed. "Nana, eat!" she exclaimed.

"Oops," Morgan couldn't help chuckling along with his daughter for a moment. "I'm afraid that nana is what she calls bananas," he explained.

His mother laughed with them, happy to see them enjoying their selves. For many years Fran had worried that her son was far too entrenched in his career. She was proud of the work he did, but she'd often hoped that he'd finally settle down and start a family, have a life away from the stresses of work. Now that he did, she was thrilled for him. "I can see where that might be confusing," she agreed. "Well, Beth," one hand reached out to stroke the girl's cheek. "I'm so glad to finally meet you, and I'm sure we'll figure out something for you to call me. As long as it isn't granny, because…"

"Granny!" Beth shouted.

Morgan cringed. "I should have warned you she's really good at repeating things," he bounced the girl on his knee. "Aren't you, smart girl?"

"Smargirl!"

The woman couldn't stop smiling as she stared at the child. "You know what?" Fran addressed the girl. "You, and only you, have permission to call me granny. If that's what you'd like to call me," she concluded.

Beth's little brown eyes sparkled as she grinned. "Hi, granny," she said, looking directly at her grandmother and batting her eyelashes like a pro.

"Hello, sweet girl," Fran replied, leaning in to kiss the girl upon her cheek. "You are a charmer just like your daddy, aren't you?" she winked at her son before quickly returning her attention to the child. "Would you like to sit with me?" the woman held her hands out to her granddaughter.

Derek watched as Beth turned to look up at him, an inquisitive expression on her face. "It's okay, darling," he encouraged her, but decided not to push the matter. He'd leave the decision fully up to Beth to make. And he was over the moon when the child carefully reached out to be taken by his mother. Morgan had hoped for an easy introduction to his family. He'd had a feeling Beth and his mom would get along famously, but one could never be sure. Now, as Beth settled onto his mother's lap, he heard the older of the two whispering all the plans she had for their visit; trips to the park and zoo, baking cookies and playing on the swing outside. "Good to see that spoiling rotten promise has already kicked in," he teased his mother.

They all heard and saw the back door open as Emily stumbled in, balancing three canvas shopping bags in her arms. "Derek, I swear to God I'm going to kill you for hanging up on…" she stopped short when she spotted him sitting at the table with his mom and Beth seated on Fran's lap. Her mouth hung open as the bags were dropped onto the counter. "I, um…" Emily swallowed the huge lump in her throat.

"Mama!" Beth cried out and reached for her.

Emily silently thanked her daughter for being on her side. She moved around the counter and went straight for Beth, cautiously eyeing Derek in the process. "Hey, baby," she greeted her daughter. "Did you have a good nap? Are you ready for a snack?"

Fran and Derek got to their feet. "Emily, it's so nice to see you again," his mother spoke first.

"It's good to see you, too," Emily replied amiably. She tried not to glare too hard at Derek as she ground out the next words in his direction. "There are several more bags in the car," she let him know in a not-so-subtle manner. On one hand she was upset with him for hanging up on her and wanted to punish him by making him get the bags. One the other hand, standing there facing his mother, Emily changed her mind and decided she wanted to escape. "Never mind, I'll go get them," she began to hand Beth off to him.

"No," he shook his head, edging toward the door. "I'll do it."

She licked her lips and then mashed them together in a thin line as he quickly vanished out the back door. Emily had the distinct feeling she wasn't going to see him or the other groceries for a few minutes longer than it would actually take to retrieve them from the car. "You're early," she said to Fran, carrying Beth over to the refrigerator. Emily pulled out some juice and poured a glass. Then she grabbed some sesame crackers from the cupboard.

"I'm sorry about the surprise," Fran apologized. "But I jumped at the chance to see you all a little earlier," she explained.

"All of us?" Emily whispered doubtfully to herself as she moved across the room and sat Beth down at the table with her crackers and juice.

"Yes, all of you," Fran had picked up on the words, despite how softly Emily had spoken them. She watched the younger woman tend to Beth with patients and kindness, kissing the child atop her head before she went to the task of putting away groceries. "Emily, I understand that you're nervous about all of this and I…"

Emily looked up, a package of lasagna noodles in one hand and a block of cheese in the other. "Nervous? I'm not nervous. Why would you think I'm nervous?" there was a defensive tone to her words. "I want you to get to know Beth; you and Derek's sisters. I'm the one who planned all of this, so what would I have to be nervous about? I'm not nervous."

Fran smiled, knowingly. "Really? Because you just said the word nervous five times," she pointed out. "And if I was in your shoes I'd probably be a complete mess."

The smallest hint of a smile passed over Emily's features. She couldn't help admire the woman's honesty. "Derek told you I was nervous, didn't he?"

"It might have slipped out," Fran nodded. "But only because I could tell he was lying. A mother always knows when her child is trying to lie."

Beth was making her crackers walk along the edge of the table when Emily glanced her way. The smile on her face returned, fuller and more genuine. She looked to Fran again. "Hopefully I won't have to test that theory for several more years," she said, moving to the fridge first and depositing the cheese.

"I hope not, too," Fran smiled, helping to pull some items out of a bag. "I also hope you know I don't hate you, Emily. I wasn't terribly happy when Derek first told me about Beth and everything that had happened. I love my son very much, but I know he was just as much to blame for all of this. And when he told me that the two of you had agreed to let the past go, I was very willing to go along with that mind set."

"More juice, pwease!" Beth called out from across the room. Her head was turned toward Emily, lips curled in a happy grin.

As Emily went to fill Beth's glass, Fran followed her and sat down by the child. "I still can't believe how much she looks like Derek. Even more so than in the pictures you sent. She looks so much like you, too, of course."

"That's good," Emily chuckled as she returned to her previous task. "I guess that means I took the right baby home from the hospital." There was a brief moment of silence before the two of them erupted into laughter over her comment. And Emily felt a twenty pound weight lift from her chest.

They were both still laughing when Derek returned, two bags in each hand and one in the crook of his left arm. He sat a few down on the floor so he could get the others onto the counter without dropping anything. Derek looked up at Emily for a second then he glanced over at his mother. He was afraid to say anything for fear of breaking the happy spell that seemed to be cast over the two women. "My goodness," Fran got up again and joined them at the counter. "Did you buy the whole store?"

Emily wore a sheepish smile as she shrugged. "I couldn't decide, so I got a variety of things. They had some great fresh spinach. I thought we could do a salad with it, or I have a recipe for a spinach lasagna that's really good."

"I think a salad sounds nice," Fran offered her opinion.

"I thought so too," Emily glanced over at Derek, who had yet to say a word since returning. "And I was going to grill some chicken with it and make a rice pilaf."

Derek's mother nodded along. "All of that sounds lovely."

"Does it sound better than a peanut butter sandwich?" Emily asked, pointedly eyeing Morgan again as she spoke.

"Much," Fran replied.

One of Emily's elbows caught Derek in the side. "I told you so," she whispered.

Morgan rubbed his rib cage and made a face at her, pretending to be more hurt than he really was. Actually he was more shocked that anything. "So, what just happened here?" he asked. "I was gone for less than five minutes and when I come back the two of you are the best of friends and laughing, and ganging up on me?" Derek pulled several boxes of cereal out of one bag and watched the two women smile conspiratorially. "Maybe I'll just leave the two of you alone," he tried to make a getaway.

"Oh, no," Emily grabbed his arm. "You're helping me with dinner."

"I can do that," Fran offered.

Emily shook her head. "No, no. Your only job during this visit is to get to know your granddaughter," she handed Fran the bag of crackers she'd gotten out for Beth earlier. "She'll probably want some more of these soon."

Derek and Emily watched his mother sit down with Beth again and strike up a conversation with the child. Morgan put the cereal away in the pantry cupboard and then snuck up on Emily, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. He kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck. "I'm sorry I hung up on you," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled, turning around in his arms. "And I'm sorry I was obsessing… a little."

He let her off the hook for her 'little' comment, even though he knew it had been a lot of obsessing. "I'm really glad you and mama are getting along."

"Me too," Emily's smile broadened. "If your mother is any indication, I can't wait to see your sisters. I already liked your family a lot when I met them in Chicago, now I'm looking forward to getting to know them all better."

"Our family, Emily," he corrected her, pressing a soft kiss against her lips as he heard Beth jabbering on excitedly about ducks and the park. Morgan smiled when he listened to his mother respond to the child with equal enthusiasm. "_Our_ family," he reiterated.

* * *

**End**


	26. Dinner

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Dinner**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily looked through the peep hole in the door and shook her head. She opened the door to her guest and regarded him a moment, noticing his dark slacks, black button-up shirt with no tie. In his left hand she spotted a bottle of wine. "Good evening," he greeted, pushing past her into the entry hall before she could say a word.

She closed the door and turned to face him. "Don't you ever answer your cell phone?"

Morgan frowned. "That's not a very nice welcome, Prentiss," he walked down the hall and glanced around her place. "Where is everyone?"

"If you answered your phone you'd already know," Emily replied.

His eyes roamed the length of her body, finally noticing the bare feet, yoga pants and t-shirt she was dressed in. Somewhat odd attire for a dinner party. "I'm sorry, but I was picking out the perfect bottle of wine and I have a new, no cell phone use in stores, policy," he explained. "About two weeks ago I was reaching for a can of chili and ended up learning way more about some guy's vasectomy than I bargained for," Derek shuddered.

A bark of laughter escaped her lips upon hearing that, helping to break down her defensive barriers. "Well, JJ and Will had to cancel because Henry got sick. Kevin's parents showed up in town completely unexpected this evening, so Garcia had to cancel for them. And when I talked to Reid and explained all of that, he said he'd feel too much like a third wheel so he backed out too."

"Bummer," Morgan said, looking not-so-upset by the news.

"Yeah," Emily nodded. "And now I have enough food to feed about twelve people," she lamented.

He smiled sympathetically. "Well, I'm sure we could par that down by at least two servings," Derek sniffed at the air. "Something certainly smells delicious."

"You don't have to stay, Morgan," Emily let him off the hook, running a hand over her shirt to indicate that she'd been expecting the night to be a complete bust. "It was meant to be a dinner party, now it would just be a…"

"Party of two," he winked at her and moved into the kitchen. "Where's your corkscrew?"

Emily swallowed hard. She'd been thinking more along the lines of it feeling too much like a date, but she had been in the mood for company and was suddenly glad that he didn't seem interested in leaving. "Top drawer, to the right of the sink," she directed. "But why don't we open a bottle that's already chilled?" Emily suggested, taking his and walking over to her small wine cooler. She removed a similar bottle of merlot and passed it to Derek to open.

"So, you didn't ask Hotch or Rossi to this shindig?" he asked, carefully aligning the corkscrew and then twisting it.

"Hotch had plans with Jack, and Rossi seems to already think he spends too much time with all of us," she relayed, dishing up two plates of food for them. Emily really wished she'd had time to run upstairs and put some nicer clothes on, but Derek didn't seem to mind. He opened several cupboards looking for glasses and finally found them in the one closest to the stove, brushing against her arm as he reached for two wine goblets. Emily tried to catch her breath, feeling ridiculous for getting flustered by his presence. She held a plate in each hand. "I was planning to have everyone sit wherever they wanted since I don't have a table big enough, but now that's it's just the two of us… would you like to be civilized and sit at the table?"

Derek nodded. "Sounds good," he agreed, carting wine bottle and glasses to the table. He poured them each half a glass and then sat down.

Emily brought over their plates and rushed back to the kitchen for silverware. When they were both seated, Derek tapped his glass against hers in a silent toast before they turned to their dinner. It was quiet for a time as they ate. The meal was simple fare; tossed green salad, grilled chicken breast and pesto over penne.

"This is really good," Derek complimented after several minutes of eating. He dabbed at his mouth with a napkin then took a sip of wine. "Where's it from?"

She looked at him blankly for a moment. "My kitchen."

He chuckled. "I know, I just meant where you ordered from…" Derek stopped short, realization dawning. "Oh, you cooked this?"

"Yes," Emily nodded.

"From scratch?"

Her head bobbed again. "Don't sound so surprised. I do know how to cook a few things."

"No, no… I'm sorry," he bumbled over his words. Derek sat his fork down and reached for his wine. He swished a bit of it around in his mouth and swallowed, hoping to rinse the awkwardness from his tongue. "It's just that, well… you're smart, funny, you kick Un-Sub ass and you cook." His voice held a note of disbelief. "Let's face it, how often do you find all of that in a beautiful woman?"

Heat swelled in her chest and cheeks, not having expected such a compliment from Derek Morgan. "I'm sure I don't know," Emily tried to covertly fan herself with a cloth napkin, worried that he'd notice the pink hue of her slightly embarrassed face. She honestly had no idea what they were doing, but it felt vaguely like flirting. And she couldn't seem to stop the next words that escaped her mouth. "Maybe you've been looking in the wrong places."

"Maybe," he grinned, picking up his fork and loading it up again. Derek diverted his gaze to the plate as he spoke. "I remember the first time I had pesto. I was about twelve years old and my mom had tried a new recipe. Of course my sisters and I turned out noses up at the odd concoction. But mama always said we had to at least try something before we went off to make ourselves a peanut butter sandwich," he told the story with obvious respect and affection for his mother. "Well, we were all pleasantly surprised to discover we really liked it. Eventually we started to refer to it affectionately as mold spaghetti sauce."

Emily laughed; glad they'd moved past the somewhat flirtatious moment earlier. "I think I was seven the first time I ate pesto. We were somewhere in Italy, if I recall correctly. By that time I'd already eaten escargot, all sorts of pâté, caviar… so, pesto was no big deal. I liked it all, but I still always asked my parents for things like pizza and cheeseburgers just to piss them off."

Morgan smiled brightly, trying to picture the young and disobedient Emily Prentiss. "I gather you liked to piss off your parents in many different ways," he guessed.

"Oh, yeah," she nodded. "Probably the biggest thing I did to piss them off was joining the FBI."

Derek noticed the light that had vacated her eyes upon mentioning that bit of information. He got the feeling there was a lot more detail to her past that she didn't wish to explain. Morgan was curious, but he wouldn't push her, because he understood what it was like to have secrets you'd prefer to keep buried. "My road to the FBI was a lot less rebellious," he replied. "Mostly I wanted to follow in my father's footsteps."

"You never talk about your dad," Emily heard the words leave her lips and started to regret them. "And you don't have to now, either," she promptly amended. "But, if you ever wanted to…"

"He was my hero," Morgan's voice was softer than usual as he spoke. "He'd give anyone the shirt off his back if they needed it and never ask for a thing in return. He loved my mother like crazy. He dotted on my sisters; his little angels. He taught all of us to treat people with the same respect we'd like to be treated, and to hold on to life tightly with both hands."

Emily felt her eyes grow misty, wishing she could say the same altruistic things about her father. "He sounds like a really good guy. I wish I could have met him."

"Me, too," Derek agreed, smiling at her. "He would have liked you."

"You think so?"

He nodded. "Yep, my dad was the original Vonnegut fan in the Morgan family. You two could have talked for hours," Derek chuckled softly. "I found his dog-eared copy of Slaughterhouse-Five shortly after his funeral. It's a first addition, published just a few years before I was born. I hung on to it for quite a while before I ever read it. Still have it on a shelf at my place. I always thought I'd pass it along to my son some day, if I had one."

The moisture in her eyes lessened as a smile bloomed. "Do you think about having kids?"

"Sure," Morgan nodded. "I guess I figured I'd have all that by now, but I've let the job get in the way."

She certainly understood how that went. "But you're a guy; you can have kids into your seventies if you want."

"Oh no, I'd rather still be young enough to crawl around on the floor with them and go for hikes, bike rides, take them camping, swimming…" he went on for a few minutes about the things he'd do with a kid of his own. Derek finally paused, looking over at her and noticing the wistful smile curling her lips. "How about you, Prentiss? Any kids in your future?" he asked. "You're still plenty young enough."

"Hmm, not so sure about the young part,' Emily shrugged a little, sipping her wine. "But when I've imagined having kids, it's never been a necessity to me that I actually give birth to them. There are so many kids in foster care and even out on the streets. Some days I just want to go out and scoop a bunch of them up and bring them home with me. But then there's the job and… well, I also always imagined having a father for those kids. That hasn't exactly worked out yet, though."

"Maybe you've been looking in all the wrong places," Derek replied, arching his brows.

Laughter bubbled up and expelled itself as she was tickled by the way he'd thrown her words back. "Maybe," she nodded, feeling her cheeks flush again.

From that point their conversation spanned a whole gamut of other topics, they finished the bottle of wine and each had another generous helping of food. Emily walked him to the door nearly three hours after he'd arrived. The time had seemed to go by far too quickly for her. Derek stopped before opening the door. He turned to face her, standing just a few inches away. "Thank you for the good food, good conversation and great company."

"You're welcome," she smiled. "And maybe I'll try to do this again when everyone can make it."

"Or, maybe we could do _this_ again… just the two of us," his left hand came to rest on her shoulder. "Tomorrow night?" Derek suggested, unsure of his actions, simply following the happy feeling in the pit of his stomach. "We do need to drink the wine that I brought, which is still in your fridge. And you have all those leftovers, at least enough for eight now, right?" he chuckled.

Emily nodded, enjoying the warmth of his hand. "I'd like that," she agreed.

"Good, then it's a date."

She took a quick breath, uncertain of her voice. "Okay," Emily finally replied.

His hand slowly slid around to the back of her neck and he leaned in to kiss her softly on the cheek. It was almost chaste, and yet more than just friendly. "Good night, Emily," Derek whispered before pulling away.

"Good night," she returned the farewell. Her heart pounded a little faster as he pulled away and then departed. Emily leaned against the closed door when he was gone, feeling a bit breathless over a simple peck on the cheek. She tried to play it off, because she had no idea if his use of the word date had been spoken in a friend's hanging out kind of way, or a guy interested in a gal kind of way. No matter the connotation, she was really looking forward to spending another evening with him.

* * *

**End**


	27. Wet

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Wet**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Candle light flickered all around them, causing shadows to dance across the bubbles in the tub. She glanced over at Derek who was seated facing her, reclined against the back of the tub, head resting on the wall with his eyes partially closed. Emily could feel the warmth of his muscular legs against her left side. She had no idea why she'd called him over to defend her honor against a large brown spider, even less of a clue as to how that had led to Derek Morgan in the bathtub with her.

It all seemed rather implausible after how her night had started off, but thinking about her failed date made Emily's heart seize a little, knowing she hadn't mentioned a word about that event to Morgan. She sure as hell didn't want him to think he'd been a rebound decision after her less than stellar evening with another man. But when she felt Derek's broad hand slide along her wet thigh, Emily's head was pretty much drained of all logical thought.

"You could use a shave," he opened his eyes fully, playfully winking at her.

Emily stuffed down her momentary feelings of mortification. Thankfully he didn't seem ready to run for the hills due to her Sasquatch legs. "Yes, well I hadn't been expecting to end up in a tub with anyone tonight," she deftly used her sharp tongue to battle his comment.

Derek cracked a small smile. "Did you have a date earlier?"

She froze, wondering how the heck he'd guessed. "Why would you ask that?"

His shoulders shrugged, causing the water around his torso to ripple and the bubbles to bob up and down. "Because of that silly, no shaving on the first date, rule," he replied, a smile deepening the soft laugh lines on both sides of his mouth. "You know, so you won't go too far with a guy."

"I've never heard any such rule," Emily shook her head.

Morgan wasn't sure if she was lying to cover up something, or if she'd honestly never heard of it. "Huh, must have been something my sisters made up then."

The inside of her cheek grew sore as she nervously bit into the soft flesh there. Emily felt increasingly scrutinized under his intent stare. "Okay, yes, I had a date tonight. And it turned to shit, and then that stupid spider was harassing me, so I called you," she blurted out.

He chuckled. "I'm glad."

Her eyes narrowed. "You're glad my date turned to shit and a spider was stalking me?"

"No, I'm glad about the part where you called me."

"Oh," Emily realized that his hand was still resting against her thigh and moving further upward. She closed her eyes for a few seconds, enjoying the sensation. But her breath hitched when he reached her hip and she suddenly felt like things were moving far too fast. "Maybe this was a bad idea," she said, drawing her legs up to her chest and away from his wandering hands. "It's just kinda… strange."

"Strange?" Morgan was a little hurt by her choice of words, but he'd been sensing all along that she was uncertain about the way things were going. He wasn't ready to give up on her, though. "You're the one who started this, Emily," he reminded the woman. "You called me over, you kissed me… you helped a lot with the removal of my clothing," he inclined his head in the direction of the tile floor where their clothes laid together in a tangled heap. "So, I suggest you tell me right now if you don't want this to go any further, because I don't want to do anything you'll regret later. I care about you too much to hurt you like that."

She was unbelievably touched by his kindness, and felt rather unworthy of it, too. "It's not that I'd regret it, Morgan… I just…"

His jaw tightened. "Morgan?" he questioned. "We've been sitting naked in this tub together for almost a half hour and you're still keeping your distance, _Prentiss_," he intentionally used her last name, but took a quick breath to calm himself. "Listen, I don't care that you were on a date earlier, because you're obviously not with him now. What I do care about is that you clearly have feelings for me, or I wouldn't have made it this far. I have feelings for you, too. And I have done my best to steer clear, because you never gave any indication that you wanted our friendship to go further. I respected that. And I expect the same from you."

"I do respect you," Emily let him know, allowing her legs to lower again; her defenses becoming less guarded. "I respect you more than just about anyone else I've ever known. That's what makes this so difficult for me. If we do cross that line from friends to… people who take baths together, it could change everything."

"It _will_ change things," he agreed with her, a hopeful swell in his belly as he watched her shoulders relax a little and the lines in her forehead smooth out. "But change doesn't always have to be scary," he added. Derek took another deep breath and let it out slowly. He tried not to push her, instead asking what was in her heart. "Just tell me what you want to do right now and I'll abide by it."

Emily could only think of one thing she really wanted at that very second. "I'd like to kiss you again, Derek," she bravely informed him.

"Yeah?" his lips curled at the corners, pleased by her use of his name. "If that's true then you're gonna have to get a lot closer," Morgan lifted one hand from underneath the bubbles and held it out to her, a simple act of chivalry. "I promise I won't bite, and if after this next kiss you still aren't certain about us, I'll go."

Her heart fluttered in a manner Emily was certain had ever occurred before. There had been a few guys to come and go in her life, but none as potentially special as the one seated in her tub at the moment. The evening had presenting her with a whole array of unexpected events, but kissing Derek Morgan a second time was the one she was looking forward to most. She carefully moved away from the sanctity of her corner and glided across the water to join him. Their bodies slid along one another like folds of a silk garment, the water sloshed and the bubbles danced as their lips grew reacquainted.

Morgan regained his senses after several deep breaths. They pulled away, but just a fraction of an inch. She was pressed against his right side, gazing up at him, and he couldn't help the amused chuckle that escaped his mouth. "You look very cute when you're nervous," he told her. "But you have nothing to be nervous about," Derek smoothed his hands over her wet hair, tucking it behind her ears. "So, am I staying?" he asked. "Or going?"

Everything about Derek Morgan made her feel completely out of sync with the world. And completely happy. "I think you should stay, because…" Emily sat up a little and gathered a large handful of bubbles. She proceeded to paint them across the lower half of his face, creating a white beard reminiscent of Santa Clause. "I've never kissed a guy with a full beard before," she concluded, leaning in and capturing his lips again.

"Well…" Derek chuckled as their third kiss ended much too soon for his liking. He scooped up some bubbles and drew them across her upper lip. "I've never kissed a woman with a mustache before," his laughter infused the kiss with a playful and sensual feeling. Derek's hands rose above her head and placed a dollop of bubbles atop her hair. "Or one with a ridiculous looking hat." Another kiss sparked between them.

"And I'm pretty sure I've never kissed a guy with horns before," Emily kept up the game, forming two cone-shaped mounds of bubbles on either side of his bare head.

His arms shot out and snaked around Emily's waist, pulling her even closer. "Now you're just being silly, woman," Derek teased.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Right, as if me with a mustache and hat wasn't silly," she scoffed.

He kissed her again and they played several more rounds of the bubble-kissing game before their bath water started cooling off. Morgan was the first to exit the lukewarm tub and, without donning a towel, he reached in and plucked her from the water. With Emily safely in his arms, he looked her in the eye. "Now what do you want? Your wish is still mine to abide by," he promised.

She smiled, her previous reservations having evaporated along with most of the bubbles in the tub. "I want you to take me to bed," Emily whispered.

* * *

**End**


	28. Blue

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Blue**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily looked around the small room and wondered how she'd come to know so many amazing women in her life. All of them where there at the moment preparing for the big event. Her mother wore a tasteful aqua dress and a proud smile on her face that Emily wasn't sure she'd ever seen before. Her soon-to-be mother-in-law, Fran, wore a happy, but somewhat sad look. Morgan's sisters both chatted amiably with JJ and Garcia as they made last minute adjustments to their hair and lavender dresses. Somehow Emily had ended up in a wedding that would include four bridesmaids, a ridiculous number if you asked her. But she hadn't been able to eliminate either of her friends or future sister-in-laws, who had become friends the last few years.

Then there was the most beautiful girl in the room, little Beth dressed in her frilly white dress with a lavender sash and pink ribbons in her hair. Emily suddenly realized that quibbling over having four bridesmaids was kind of silly considering her five-year-old daughter was about to be the flower girl. Tradition was not an important word in their vocabulary. "Mama, you look like a princess in a fairytale," Beth told her.

"Thank you, baby," a smile curled her lips as Emily looked at herself in the mirror.

Her silky white dress hugged chest and hips, but flowed freely down to her ankles. Hair was pulled back and dotted with small sprigs of baby's breath flowers. Small pearl drop earrings adorned her ears with a necklace to match. Both were her something old gift from her mother, having originally belonged to a great grandmother. A simple silver bracelet with a bride and groom charm ornamented her right wrist; a something new gift from Sarah and Desiree. And a pale pink garter resided high on her left thigh beneath the dress; a something borrowed gift from JJ, who'd worn it first at her wedding to Will, and Garcia, who'd worn it second at her wedding to Kevin.

Fran approached her with a battered looking white, cardboard box. The woman opened it and pulled out a soft blue handkerchief. "I carried this with me the day I married Derek's father, Charlie. My mother-in-law gave it to me on my wedding day as my something blue gift," she explained. Fran handed it over, trying to keep tears at bay. "I wish Charlie could be here today to watch you and Derek get married. He'd be so proud."

Emily clenched the blue handkerchief tightly in her right hand and closed the gap between herself and Fran, drawing the older woman into a hug. "He is watching," she whispered in the woman's ear. They broke apart and each dabbed at the tears in their eyes.

But young Beth's exuberance didn't allow them to wallow is sorrow any longer. "Let's get married!" she exclaimed.

The group of women dissolved into laughter as they filed out of the room.

* * *

**End**


	29. School

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**School**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The three of them walked up to the front entrance of the school; red brick façade standing between them and the next step in their lives as a family. Beth held on to her daddy's left hand and her mama's right. She wore a khaki jumper-dress with white shirt; a minor dress code for the school she was about to start. Her dark hair had been French braided by Emily, and she had a small purple backpack over her shoulders. Its contents included a new box of crayons, drawing pad and daffy duck lunch sack with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple slices, orange juice and three Oreo cookies; all per her request.

Inside the building the old hallways were painted a drab taupe, but sported brightly colored bulletin boards with children's artwork and notices about upcoming school events. The Morgan clan easily found their way to the classroom, having already visited once to examine the facilities. The Kindergarten door was hanging open, kids already sitting and standing at round tables, conversing and playing. Emily squatted down in front of her daughter and repositioned the barrette holding Beth's bangs in place.

"Can I go in now?" Beth asked, looking from her mother to her father for an answer.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay today?" Emily asked.

Beth nodded enthusiastically. "I'm gonna draw and learn numbers and letters and play on the swings and eat lunch and…" the girl rambled on.

Derek rested his hand against his wife's shoulder. "Em, come on. She'll be fine," he insisted.

Despite Morgan's assurance, Emily kept her focus on Beth. "Remember, if you need anything or want me to come pick you up early just ask Ms. Keller and I'll be here as fast as I can," Emily promised. She kissed the girl and stood up. Beth took off like a shot across the room and Emily leaned against Derek. "What if she's not ready for this?"

A sympathetic smile sprouted on Morgan's face. He took Emily's hand, squeezed it, and pointed into the room. They both watched as Beth stood by a cubby stowing her bag there. Then she darted off into the room again and stopped at a table with two boys and another girl. They were all playing with some blocks, building a castle. Beth added a piece to the structure. She chatted with the other kids for a moment, but paused to turn toward the classroom door. A big smile was aimed at her parents and Beth waved at them before returning to her task of castle building.

"She looks ready to me," Derek said.

The teacher walked toward them. Emily thought she looked far too young to be a teacher, but recalled meeting the woman at their orientation gathering. "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan, it's good to see you again," the young woman greeted them.

Emily was suddenly glad that she and Derek had married in the spring. She knew it was kind of silly given that half or more of couples didn't even both to get married any more. But she felt proud to provide that family unit for her daughter after the shaky start she'd given Beth in life, not even knowing her father or his side of the family for the first two years. "Ms. Keller, it's good to see you, too," Morgan replied, seeing that Emily was focused on Beth again. "You'll have to forgive her, she's not normally this rude," he apologized, gently elbowing his wife in the side.

"I'm sorry," Emily faced the teacher. "I'm just…"

"It's perfectly understandable," Ms. Keller stopped her. "I've been teaching for ten years now and I've seen a lot of worried and nervous parents walk through this door. Usually they're more agitated than the kids," she noted with a warm smile. Her eyes were aimed at Emily. "I assure you Beth is going to do fine here, but you're welcome to stay as long as you like," she smiled again and then stepped away, returning to her students.

Derek stood behind Emily, hands on her shoulders. "Come on, mama," he whispered in her ear. "You heard the teacher, she'll be fine."

"But, what if she's not," Emily maintained her rigid stance. "This is just the first three minutes, what if…"

"Em, let's go," Derek took her by the arm and led her out into the hall. "You'll be back to pick her up at 2:30."

"That's six hours away, Derek," she shook her head. "I think we made a mistake. Maybe we should have gone for the half-day kindergarten," Emily bit her lip, rethinking the decision as she paced over a small patch of the corridor.

Morgan sighed, trying to handle his wife with kid gloves. He was sad to see Beth growing up so fast, too, but he was doing a better job accepting reality. "The teachers and school board all agreed that Beth would benefit more from the full-day program. She's a smart kid, Emily. She can't stay at home with you forever," he hated to be the one to say it, but it was true. Derek stopped her pacing and pulled her into a hug. He kissed her forehead. "Bet you're wishing we'd had another one now, huh?"

Her eyes grew wide as she pushed him away. "No, no I'm not," Emily let him know, hoping he wasn't getting any ideas. Because she was really past the age of wanting to do the whole pregnancy thing again, or being able to. "I just… I never expected to feel so lonely. For the last five years I've been the one there for her, feeding, clothing, bathing… coxing her to say mama and daddy. I was her first teacher and now she doesn't need me."

"She will always need you, Emily," Derek took her hand, leading her toward the exit. "Maybe you should think about coming back to work," he suggested. "You could try a part-time shift. It might help take your mind off of Beth being in school."

Emily mashed her lips together, not so sure about the idea. "I think we'll see how today goes first. Or maybe the first month of the school year, or maybe until Winter break… get a good few months of this school business under Beth's belt before we know for sure if she…"

"Okay, okay," he gave in. It was clear she wasn't quite ready to let go of her position as full-time mommy. "We can talk about it again later."

A curious glance was fired his way. "How are you so calm about all of this?" Emily wanted to know. "I thought you'd have just as hard a time letting go as me."

"It's school, Em," Derek replied with a dismissive shrug, as if that were explanation enough. "She's gonna love it, because she's a smart girl just like her mama." He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it.

"Hmm," her stomach still flopped every time he kissed her. "We'll see how good you are about letting go the first time she wants to go out on a date with some boy."

"That's easily solved, she's not dating until she's thirty," Morgan declared.

Doubtful laughter bubbled up and out of Emily's mouth. She was grateful that he always knew how to sooth her worries with a touch, a look or words. But she had a feeling they were going to hit some bumpier roads when Beth really did start wanting to date. Emily squeezed his hand tighter as they walked to the car. Her nerves settled a little as she looked forward to whatever the future brought for their family.

* * *

**End**


	30. Red

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Red**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The mall was bustling with people on a Saturday afternoon. There were families taking their kids back-to-school shopping, older folks walking the building's perimeter to get out of the summer sun, and younger couples strolling hand-in-hand mostly window shopping. Emily glanced over at the man holding her left hand. They were definitely not a younger couple, though not terribly old by any means, and he was carrying an assortment of store bags for her; no window shopping for them. It was more like a power march down the spine of the mall, because Emily liked to be quick and efficient in her shopping.

"Where to now, boss?" Derek asked.

Emily inclined her head in the direction of the Victoria's Secret storefront that was just ahead. She watched his eyes widen a little. "It's okay, you can go find some techie or sports store if you'd like. I won't be long," she made a move to break off.

Morgan squeezed her hand and stuck close to her side. "Why would I want to do that? I planned to spend the day with you, and I'm not scared of some lingerie store. I happen to like ladies lingerie," he said.

Her brows rose. "Oh, really?" Emily grinned. "Is there something you haven't been telling me?"

He was confused for a moment, but it quickly passed. "Not like that, woman. I mean I like to see lingerie _on_ the ladies." Derek's face revealed a cheeky grin. "Who am I kidding? I definitely like it better _off_ the ladies. Preferably on my bedroom floor."

She wrinkled her nose. "Remind me again what I find attractive about you," Emily teased.

Derek brought her hand to his lips and softly kissed her palm. "I'm a smooth talker, sexy as hell, smart, and my fingers have been known to perform some rather complicated magic tricks," he leaned in and kissed her on the lips.

Emily expelled a puff of breath when their union ended. She bit her lip, having instantly been aroused by his words. "Stop it," she admonished, pushing past him into the store. "If you think you can handle it, come on in," the female profiler taunted over her shoulder before disappearing inside.

Her words had clearly been a challenge, and Derek Morgan rarely backed down from a challenge. "Here goes," he sauntered in after her, pride firmly in place. But he'd never actually been in such a store before and was instantly overwhelmed by the plethora of girly things. Morgan stood his ground, though, seeking out Emily.

She'd already checked out a few items, but one silk nightie caught her eye and she thumbed through the rack looking at the different colors. Derek moved in behind her, hands resting against her hips, chin on her shoulder. "You should get it in red," he nodded, approving of her choice in style and fabric.

"Really?" her hand went to a different colored one and she pulled it out, holding it up for him to see. "I kind of like the blue."

"Of course you do," he replied.

Emily spun around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He backed up a few steps and shook his head. "Nothing."

"No, it wasn't _nothing_," she hung the blue negligee up. "Tell me what you meant."

"It's just…" Derek sighed, not sure if he should be honest or not. "Well, you're rather contrary. If I say hot, you say cold. If I say red, you say… blue."

She stared open-mouthed at him for a long second. "That's not true."

"Yes, it is," Morgan countered.

"No, it's not."

"Yes…" he stopped himself from further proving the truth as he saw it. "Never mind, Em. You win. Get the blue one."

"Well, maybe I don't want either one now," she huffed.

"See, right there!" Derek snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "Contrary," he accused, even as his lips curled. Morgan couldn't help being utterly turned on by her sassy nature. He looked into her brown eyes and swore he saw them twinkle mischievously. "And I'm pretty sure you do it on purpose."

Emily tried her hardest not to laugh, or even crack a smile. She wasn't mad at him, but there was no way she planned to let him off easy. "If you don't behave," her right index finger pointed to a spot across the room. "I'll send you over there with the other lost boys."

Derek dropped his hand and his eyes followed the direction of her finger. Three guys, of various height, weight and race, were standing beside the bank of dressing rooms. Each of them was holding a purse with thumb and forefinger, as if the bag might explode should it come into any closer contact with their masculinity. He turned back to Emily. "I'll be good," he agreed. "So, red or blue? Whichever one you want is fine with me. It won't stay on for long, anyhow."

She rolled her eyes, moving toward another display. "Actually, all I really came in here for is a black bra."

"Another black bra?" Morgan asked. He saw her eyes flick toward the other men in the store. "I mean, oh goody! Another black bra!"

A soft bubble of laughter slipped past her lips. She grabbed two bras off one rack and a third from a second display. "I chase down UnSubs all day long, Derek. Black is very practical," Emily explained her reasoning.

"And boring," he mumbled.

"What?"

He cleared his throat and shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't say anything."

Emily looked doubtful but she let him off the hook. She dragged him inside the changing room for his opinion, tried on seven different black bras and ended up buying one. Derek held on to the bags as she paid, hoping they might be finished. Then Emily announced she needed to stop in at the department store next door for some new eye liner. At which point, Morgan finally opted for the Foot Locker a few shops down.

xxx

That night Emily exited the bathroom and made her way to their bed, causing Derek to look up. He had to do a double take to be sure he was seeing things right. She situated herself on top of the covers beside him and his mouth hung open for several more minutes, not sure what to think of her latest shenanigans. "A long-sleeve cotton nightgown?" he shook his head at her.

"You don't find this sexy?" she asked with a perfectly straight face.

"Um... this is a trick question, right?" Morgan chuckled mirthlessly as he moved in closer and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Seriously," he pulled back a little. "It doesn't matter much, because you won't be wearing it for very long," he tugged at the neck opening, seeing if he could pull it down far enough to view something worthwhile.

"Oh, no," Emily recoiled. "Not tonight."

His eyes narrowed to barely open slits. "I schlepped though sixteen different stores with you today, including Victoria's Secret, carried your bags around and held your purse while you tried on shoes… and now I get "not tonight" thrown at me?"

She shrugged and pulled her book off the nightstand. "I'm kind of tired from shopping."

"Damn, woman," he groaned. "What are you trying to do to me? I'm only human," his hand inched its way up her thigh.

"Hey!" she slapped it away with her book.

He snuggled up beside her, undaunted. Derek nuzzled her neck and nibbled on her earlobe. "You're just trying to be contrary again, right?"

"Nope," Emily kept up her cold-shoulder routine with him.

Morgan reluctantly pulled away and flopped onto his back, staring up at the blank, white ceiling. "I guess you don't want the present I was going to give you."

"Derek, you've already given me that present several times," she replied. "It's not exactly a surprise anymore."

All the blood in his body headed to one spot and Derek propped himself up on an arm, staring at her. "You really are trying to kill me aren't you, baby?" He didn't bother waiting for an answer as he scooted to the edge of the bed and hung half his body over the side, pulling something out from underneath. Morgan moved back toward her and dropped the Foot Locker bag onto her lap.

"You're giving me the shoes you bought?" Emily glowered at him over the top of her opened book.

He grabbed the book and tossed it toward the foot of the bed. "Just open it," Derek insisted.

Inside the bag she discovered a smaller, pink package. Her eyes lit up in genuine surprise. "You really did get me a gift," Emily took the top off the box, removed the tissue and pulled the silky nightgown out. "The red one," she grinned, cheeks flushing. "So, you didn't buy shoes?"

"No, but they made me pay a dollar for the bag to hide your gift in," he chuckled. "You love it, don't you?"

"How did you know I liked the red one best all along?" Emily asked.

"Because I can tell when you're lying."

"Can not," she protested.

Morgan laughed loudly. "Yes, I can. Your eyes get squinty which makes these little lines form at the corners every time you lie."

She shook her head. "No they don't."

He pointed at the corner of her right eye and grinned triumphantly. "Just did it again." Derek leaned forward and kissed the spot. His hands moved to her thighs again as he stole several more kisses. A few seconds later he tossed the red nightie over the side of the bed and quickly pulled the cotton one over her head. It pooled with the red one on the floor as his fingers continued their exploration of her body. "I think I found a color I like even better than red," he whispered.

"Oh, yeah?" a shaky breath expelled her words. "What is it?"

Derek held one of her arms up and kissed from her fingertips up to her shoulder. "A creamy shade of vanilla," he said, indicating the tone of her skin.

"Funny," Emily replied. Her hands rested at the waistband of his black boxer-briefs. She tugged them down and threw them into the mix of other clothing. "My favorite color is a little bit darker," she whispered the words against his lips. "Like milk chocolate."

His lips found Emily's again as Derek poised himself above her, grin upon his face. "You see, always contrary."

A throaty chuckle escaped her mouth as their bodies collided.

* * *

**End**


	31. Game

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Game**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The flight home after a long and difficult case was usually a somber occasion, but the case this time had ended with the successful return of a kidnapped twelve-year-old girl, leaving the team more relaxed than usual. Rossi was reading a newspaper and Hotch was actually getting some rest. But, as Morgan approached the small table, he noticed one person who looked a little tense. Reid's brows were furrowed and his lips pursed in concentration as he sat across from Emily. They were each fiddling with some cream colored tiles that had black letters imprinted on them. The game looked a little like scrabble to Derek's untrained eye, but as he watched a while longer he knew for sure it wasn't. He also sensed that Emily was giving Reid a run for his money.

Derek's eyes settled on JJ, who was seated beside Reid. "Is this some sort of game nerd and nerder made up?"

"Nope," JJ grinned and tossed something to Morgan.

He caught it in one hand. The small, yellow canvas bag was shaped like a banana peel with a zipper along one side. "Bananagrams?" Derek shook his head while reading the name of the game. "I think if the two of them had come up with it, the name would've been better than this."

"Peel," Emily said, trying not to let Morgan's comments distract her concentration.

Morgan watched as Emily and Reid each took another letter from the group of tiles in the middle of the table. "What the heck was that?" Derek turned to JJ again for further explanation, still watching Reid and Emily out of the corner of his eye. "Peel?"

The blond woman chuckled. "They've been saying all sorts of odd things like, split, peel and dump. Mostly peel, though. From what I can tell, it's similar to scrabble, except they each have their own words to play off and they can change words around to make different words so they use up their letters. I think that's the whole Bananagrams connection, sort of a play on anagrams."

"Hmm…" Morgan was still somewhat confused, but curious. He continued to watch for several more minutes.

"Bananas!" Emily exclaimed triumphantly when all the tiles in the middle group had been used.

"What? No," Reid sat forward, unsuccessfully trying to hide the fact that he still had several unused letters in front of him. He examined her words. "You can't already be out," he was in denial for a few more seconds. Then he sagged against his seat, eyes settling on Derek. "I chose this game because she keeps beating me at chess and poker. Now this," he crossed his arms over his chest in defeat, sulking like a little kid.

Morgan laughed to see Reid looking so despondent over losing a game. He couldn't help feeling rather proud of Emily for beating the genius. That was, until he scanned over some of her words. "Well, I think she wins by cheating," he spoke up again. "I don't know all the rules here, but I'm guessing you can't use an abbreviated version of your name as a word. _Em_?" he questioned, pointing out the two-letter word she'd made.

"Em is a unit of measurement," she replied, defending herself against Morgan's accusations.

He rolled his eyes, doubtful of her explanation. "Sure it is, in what language?" Derek pushed for a better answer.

"No, she's right," Reid interjected. "Em is the width of a square piece of type used as a unit of measure for matter in that size of type. And an _en_ is half the width of an _em_. Em is also used if you were to write out the letter M," he continued, rattling off information in his usual manner. "I checked all her words, they're right. She beat me fairly," there was still a small note of bitterness to his tone due to that fact.

"Maybe I keep beating you because you try to make fancy long words, _genius_," Emily quipped as she began to turn her letter tiles over to the blank side. "This isn't like scrabble where you play for points. First person to use up all of their letters wins, so when you come down to it, it's mostly about speed. And I'm faster than you," she concluded with a teasing wink in the young man's direction.

"Hmm, maybe," Reid conceded, his frown letting up a little. "But I will find a game to beat you at," he vowed.

"Feel free to keep trying," Emily chuckled, glad to take up the challenge.

Derek and JJ laughed along with her. Reid got up and moved to a seat further back, picked up a book and started reading. Morgan slipped into the spot the younger man had just vacated. "Do you want to play?" he asked Emily.

"With you?" her brows arched. "You did just see me massacre Reid, right?"

He nodded. "But you said it was about speed," Derek countered. "And I've been known to be very fast," he boasted. His eyes then softened a little as he caught her staring at his hands. "Except when I deliberately want to take things slow."

She swallowed, trying not to let her mind wander to what those slow things might be. "Speed, yes," Emily agreed. "But you still need to make real words, and no proper nouns. Plus, spelling counts. If I challenge anything you've made and you can't defend it then you forfeit the win," she explained. "So, are you still interested?"

"Definitely," he agreed.

Emily couldn't help hide the fact that she was curious about how well he'd do. But she wanted to put a little more at stake. "Would you care to make a wager?"

"You mean money?" Derek looked for clarification.

"Money is highly overrated," she grinned cheekily. "I'm talking about something worth my time. Say, if I win you agree to do all my filing for a week."

"A week? No way," Derek knew that would be a lot of extra work on his part. It wasn't as though he didn't mind a little hard work, or even extra work, but he also liked to have a small bit of a life away from the office and the team. At least he liked to try. "Two days," he proposed.

"Three days," she made a counter offer.

Morgan nodded to that. "And if I win…" he curled a finger at her. "Come closer." Emily obliged and leaned forward across the table. He put an elbow to the table and cupped one hand to her ear, whispering his winning request. Morgan reclined in his seat again and watched as her pupils grew larger.

She sat back with a sigh. "Seriously? That's what you want?"

"What?" JJ hadn't been able to hear Derek's words. "What does he want?"

Derek kept his eyes on Emily, both of them ignoring JJ. "Are you scared of losing? Can't stand the heat? Afraid of a little challenge?" he taunted. "Are you chicken?"

Emily bit her bottom lip and started taking the first tiles to start the game. "Bring it on."

xxx

Three hours later they'd landed and the team had gone their separate ways. But at eight o'clock that night Morgan picked up Emily and drove her to a restaurant of his choosing. They ate salads, bread, and were sipping wine as they waited for their main course. Conversation was lighthearted subject matter, but they kept up a consistent stream of chatter. It was like many dinners they'd shared before, except those had always consisted of at least two or more other team members. This meal was strictly a duo. It was also payment of a bet they'd made over a game.

"So, did JJ ever get you to reveal what my wager was?" Derek asked.

"No, your secret is safe with me," she assured him. "But… you know," Emily rubbed a finger over the condensation on her wine glass. Her eyes locked with his. "If you wanted to go out with me on a date you didn't have to make a bet about it. You could have just asked."

Upon hearing her words, Morgan felt some of his tension bleed out. He'd been thinking about asking her out for a long time, but it always seemed wrong for some reason. There was the obvious fact that they worked together. But deeper than that, there was also the niggling feeling he kept having in the back of his mind about her being too good for him. But over the years, he'd slowly realized that was an excuse he'd been using. And he certainly wasn't a stranger to the company of a lady, but there'd never been anyone he'd wanted to have a long-term relationship with until Emily Prentiss had come along.

The arrival of their food interrupted his train of thought for a moment. When Emily's salmon was placed in front of her, Derek noticed the hint of a secretive smirk on her face. He put his fork down and sat forward a little. "Emily, you… uh… you didn't _let_ me win that game, did you?"

Within seconds the smile on her face turned into a soft chuckle. After another beat Emily finally moved her head slightly from one side to the other. "No, you won that game fairly," she told him the truth. "You got lucky." Her right hand picked up a fork and she stabbed it into the fish. "Whether or not you get lucky a second time is still unknown." She took a bite.

His lips curled as he dug into the chicken in front of him. "If that's another challenge," Derek said. "I accept."

* * *

**End**


	32. Bathroom

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Bathroom**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

When the adjoining bathroom door opened, Derek did his best to pretend he hadn't been waiting anxiously for her to emerge. He grabbed the first thing he spotted and started reading it. Then he realized it was a case file about a man who'd dissected his victims in great detail. Not at all the mood he wanted to convey for Emily's first night at his place. He stuffed the file into the top drawer of his nightstand and gave up the pretense. Morgan glanced over at her in anticipation, but his face was crestfallen to see she was dressed in a t-shirt and some shorts.

"This is what you brought to wear to bed?" he asked as she approached.

Emily sat down on the bed beside him and scooted closer. "What were you hoping for, leather? Perhaps a whip?"

Derek swallowed hard. "Actually, I was thinking lace might be nice… or at least something a little more slinky and see-through-ish like that pink frilly thing the other night at your place." He rubbed the bottom hem of her shirt between his thumb and index finger. "This cotton leaves a lot to be desired."

"That's kind of the point," Emily winked playfully. "Not to mention that when you invited me for this sleepover you didn't specify a dress code," she pushed his hands away from the shirt. "If you're going to insult, you're going to be lonely tonight."

"You're a tease, Emily Prentiss." Derek reclined, pressing his back against the padded headboard. Their relationship had transitioned from friendship to lovers several months ago, but the cohabitating thing was still very new to them. And so far it had consisted mainly of him spending nights at her place. "So, what _were_ you doing in my bathroom all this time if it wasn't to dress up for me?" he inquired.

"Funny you should ask," Emily crawled onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I found some very interesting reading material in your linen closet." She put a finger to her lips. "What was the title of that magazine?" Emily rolled her eyes heavenward as she pretended to think it over. Her gaze fell back to him a few seconds later. "Oh, right… something about being hot and bothered…"

His face paled considerably, looking like a teenager who'd just been caught in the act by his mother. "I… um… those…" Morgan shook his head and grimaced. "I could have sworn I cleared out all of those before you got here."

"Derek…" she smiled, hoping to ease the tension she felt tightening his muscles. "You don't have to be ashamed. It's perfectly natural for guys to have girly magazines in their possession. I'm just glad they're _girly_ ones. And, as I was perusing the articles, I read something on page 33 that I found very intriguing…" Emily leaned in closer and whispered the suggestion in his ear. She could instantly feel the evidence of his interest pressing against her thigh.

"You really want me to…" his mouth went dry. It wasn't as though he'd never had such bold offers presented to him by a woman before. The thing tying his tongue in knots was the fact that this offer was coming from a woman he once believed to be completely out of his grasp. Emily Prentiss was smart, gorgeous and way out of his league. At least that's what he'd always believed, until their friendship had slowly showed him that there were many layers to her persona. However, the look on her face at the moment was more than just beauty, intrigue or even flirtation. He wasn't quite sure what to peg it as.

Emily ran the tip of her tongue across her lips. "Does that make you hot and bothered?"

Recognition finally dawned as soon as he let his brain take the reins again. She was still teasing him. "Em, I'm pretty sure none of the magazines I have are titled with the words hot and bothered. You made it up, right? You didn't find any magazine's in my bathroom."

She nodded slowly in a guilty manner and then rested her head against his shoulder. "But I love that you cleaned up all the girly magazines for me," Emily revealed, softly kissing his neck. "And I love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too," Morgan was still surprised by how easily those words exited their mouths. But it felt wonderful.

"And I wasn't lying about trying out that page 33 thing," Emily said. "It would certainly beat the heck out of our usual cops and robbers routine."

Morgan looked slightly offended by her last statement. "I thought you liked that one."

"I did at first," she replied with a quick nod. "But it's kind of boring when _you_ always get to be the cop."

"That's only because you stole my heart and I like to punish you for it," Derek retorted.

"Yeesh," Emily scrunched up her nose at his comment. "Corny and kinky all in the same sentence," she noted. "I'm not sure whether to be turned on or disgusted."

He grinned, loving that she rarely shied away from speaking her mind. "Probably you should be a little of both," he admitted.

"That's what I was thinking," she agreed, kissing him lightly on the lips. "So… do you want to know what I was really doing in your bathroom all that time?" Emily took his hands and guided them to a spot just above her knees.

His eyes twinkled as he eagerly caressed the soft flesh of her thighs. "Very silky smooth," he appreciated, and approved of, the time she'd spent on shaving. Emily then situated herself so that she was straddling his legs and pulled her t-shirt off, revealing a turquoise lace bra to him. And beneath the shorts were matching panties. "You really are a horrible tease," he jokingly accused. "But this is certainly more like the sleepover I had in mind," Derek said as he rolled Emily onto her back and his lips slowly began the process of enacting her page 33 scenario.

* * *

**End**


	33. Back

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Back**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily heard the front door open and close. She considered getting up to greet Derek, but the window seat was far too cozy. And lying on her stomach was the most comfortable she'd been all morning. "Hey!" she finally called out, firmly deciding not to get up. "I'm in here," Emily pressed the right side of her face against a downy-soft pillow and listened to his footsteps as he moved through the main floor of their home.

Morgan poked his head around the open French doors and smiled when he saw her laying there. "Hey, yourself," he replied, walking further inside to sit on the edge of the cushioned seat beside her. Derek leaned down and kissed her, having to perform some small feat of contortionism to get his lips to hers.

"How's Garcia?" Emily asked after their brief kiss.

He sat up straight again. "Well, the leaky toilet crisis has been averted," Derek chuckled.

"Why didn't she just call the building super?"

"Apparently she doesn't trust him," Morgan shook his head as he kicked off his shoes; ready to settle in for the rest of the weekend with the woman he loved. "She claims the guy always hires people that charge too much and he pockets the extra cash for himself, like it's some kind of scam."

"She's been working for the FBI too long," Emily voiced her opinion out loud. The jobs they performed had a tendency to make them all a little paranoid. Of course she had reason to be more paranoid than most, having been taken and tortured by the man who'd killed her sister when they'd been teenagers. "I'll be glad when Kevin gets back from visiting his parents, so I can have my man back," she joked. "Too bad she couldn't get the time off to join him."

"Yeah, she certainly is missing him," Derek agreed, though he was a bit distracted, the fingers of his right hand stroking along Emily's bare arm. "Kind of like I missed you this morning," he intoned softly, caressing her cheek.

A quizzical smile quirked her lips as she stared up at him. "That's so sweet, in a disgustingly sugar-coated kind of way," Emily teased. "You were only gone for three hours," she noted.

"But I'm really sorry I left so early, before you woke up," he replied to her nonchalant demeanor, even though that caveat of not waking up alone had been a part of their wedding vows. "How are you doing today, wifey?"

"I'm fine," she dismissed his undertone of concern and buried her head against the fluffy pillow again.

"Really?" he asked, frowning a little as she seemed to be more interested in the pillow she was hugging. "Because that didn't sound like a very convincing, _I'm fine_, to me. And you're laying here like you've lost all function in your legs." Derek winched as soon as the words left his big mouth. He hadn't meant to hearken back to a time in the not-so-distant past when she really hadn't been able to walk.

His words hadn't upset her much, because her thoughts were focused elsewhere. "I started my period this morning," she stated.

"Ah," Derek finally understood the mood. "You want a back rub?" He heard her chuckle and narrowed his eyes at the odd response. "What? Did I say something funny?"

"No, it's just that most guys would be half way out the door by now after hearing those words. And you want to rub my back," she pointed out.

Morgan didn't take offence to her lumping him into a category that he'd never really fit in to. "I thought you knew by now I wasn't like most guys. But, if you'd rather, I can go grab myself a beer, plunk down in front of the TV and scratch myself while I watch football all afternoon."

She laughed even harder. "But, sweetie, that's what you did yesterday," Emily teased.

"Very funny, you know football season is over," he lifted her shirt and began to slowly knead the taught muscles in her back. His finger ran over the smooth skin and the patches that were not as smooth. The surgery she'd had several months ago had healed quickly and the results turned out better than the doctors had anticipated. Not that he'd cared about the scars on her back, but he knew Emily was happy to have them mostly wiped clean, even if the memories couldn't be as easily erased.

Emily closed her eyes and languished in his warm touch. His hands were strong, yet very gentle, but they eventually started to massage two mounds of flesh slightly lower than her back. "Derek, baby, that's not my back," she pointed out.

"It's on your _backside_," he countered. His lips hovered beside her ear as he whispered. "We've managed before. Usually a nice warm shower works well."

As much as she loved him, he could still be such a guy some days, easily lead astray by testosterone. "I wish I was in the mood, sweetie... I really do, but..."

"S'ok," his words were slurred; trying to regain his senses from the place they'd slipped for a moment. Morgan's hands crawled upward to continue their well-behaved ministrations. "You want to tell me what's really going on?"

Her eyes closed again as he resumed working the very sore areas of her body. Sometimes she hated that he knew her so well, and that he was a profiler and therefore more observant than your average spouse. "I was late," she whispered.

"Late for what, angel?" Derek asked in a casual manner. "I thought you said you didn't have any plans this morning,"

She sighed, realizing that he could still be a bit slow. "I meant that I was late starting," Emily clarified.

"Oh," the response came automatically, as if he'd been expecting a different reply from her. It took a few more seconds for things to gel. "Oh..." Realization finally took a firm hold. Derek really hadn't been expecting that possibility. "Did you think maybe you were..."

"Yeah," she cut him off before he could say the actual word.

Morgan's hands weren't working as swiftly, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know," she replied. It wasn't really a lie, but not exactly the truth either.

"Did you want to be pregnant?" he persisted.

'No," her response came rather fast; reactionary, like the jerk of a knee. "Maybe," Emily's second reply was more honest, but it also scared her more. "I don't really know," the third and final answer was probably the truest of the three. She sighed heavily. "I'm sure it was just a stress thing anyway. A lot has happened these last few months. Our engagement and going back to Chicago to visit your mom for her birthday, then Christmas and a New Year's wedding... not to mention my surgery and those few cases all bunched up in between everything."

"True enough," he agreed. "But we haven't really talked about the kid thing since the first time I proposed to you, in the bathroom," he smiled, remembering that interesting conversation. "Do you want to have a baby?"

She was about to say _I don't know_ again, but stopped short. Emily realized that wasn't entirely true either. "Sort of," she finally replied. "I'm just not sure I want to go through gestation and labor. There's so much that can go wrong at my age," her fears were valid enough, but she still felt strange voicing them.

"A lot can go wrong at any age," he reminded her. "And haven't we already talked about this issue?"

"Not enough in my opinion," Emily tried not to sound defensive, but she was confused and that emotion often got covered by defensive moves. She turned to one side so they could speak eye-to-eye. "I get that your grandmother gave birth in her forties and that's great. I'm glad that your father was born so you could be born, but..." she sighed. "You know, I really don't think this is a good time to talk about all this, at least not for me. My hormones right now are a little jumpy."

He gently pushed some of her hair behind her left ear and nodded. "Okay."

His reply was such a simple, nondescript word, but in it she heard a whole lot more. And in his eyes she saw a mixture of hope and disappointment. Emily knew he wasn't the only one good at profiling in their relationship. "Derek, do you want to have a baby?" she finally asked. "Because you told me that if a kid came along you'd be fine with that but you also said if it was just the two of us that would be okay too," she recalled.

"I did say that," he agreed. "And I meant it, but… things change… people change. I never thought I could love anyone as much as I love you. For a while there I honestly thought I'd be Mr. Bachelor for the rest of my life, but that changed," he smiled lovingly at her. "And the... the idea of having a baby is still mostly scary. I lost my dad at a young age and I worry that not having that sort of father figure might make me a bad father. And I worry about what happened to him happening to me, and I can't imagine leaving you behind with a kid. The thought of it breaks my heart."

"But..." she pushed a little.

Morgan's smile returned. "But, I also can't help thinking how amazing it would be to have a baby with you. And I think that life without risk is kind of a waste."

"This kind of risk, though, Derek," Emily felt tears threaten to fall. "The thought of a baby being born with some sort of problem all because I selfishly wanted a child after the age of thirty-five... I don't think I could... I already took one innocent life out of this world and..."

"Okay," Morgan stopped her, noticing the tears in her eyes. "I think you were right. We really shouldn't be talking about this right now." He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. It was clear they still had a lot to talk about on the subject matter, but it could hold for a while; at least for the next few days until hormone levels had tapped off a little. "Why don't I make a picnic lunch and we can eat it right here," he suggested. "You won't have to move one inch all day. And we can read or sleep or I could even move a TV in here and find some sort of sports channel to watch," he winked.

Emily smiled and sniffed away the tears that had threatened to fall. "I love you," she said.

"I know," he grinned. "What's not to love?" His cheeky grin was playful, something he felt they needed at the moment. But a small bit of seriousness took over for a moment as he intertwined his fingers with hers. "I love you too," he kissed the back of her hand and pronounced that the heavy-conversation portion of their day was over. "So…" he got to his feet. "How about turkey and cheese on whole wheat?" Derek proposed.

"Actually, do we have any of that sourdough left?" Emily asked.

His head performed a slow nod as he tried to recall the contents of their fridge. "I think so," he replied, edging his way toward the door. "If we do, it's yours."

"And carrot sticks," she spoke to his retreating backside. "You can't have a picnic without carrot sticks."

Derek turned to face her again. "Of course not," he agreed and made another attempt to slip out of the room.

"And corn chips?"

He chuckled and nodded again. "Sure, whatever you want. How about the last of the Oreos?"

"I kind of ate those for breakfast," Emily admitted. "Sorry."

"No biggy, they're only my favorite cookie in the whole world," Derek wore an exaggerated pout as he quickly crossed the room and knelt in front of her. He pressed one more kiss to her lips and then darted out of the room, calling over his shoulder to her. "You're just lucky I love you more than cookies!"

* * *

**End**


	34. Day

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

Set during the S2 episode, Open Season...

* * *

**Day**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

It was a clear day, but the blue sky was deceiving. The air held a distinct chill. Early spring in the Idaho woods was still plenty cold. Derek carefully maneuvered the SUV along the winding mountain road, wanting to make good time out to the crime scene, but also being cautious of deer or other animals that might be around. He glanced over at his co-pilot and couldn't help grin. "You got the area figured out yet, mountain woman?"

Emily rolled her eyes at the nickname he'd quickly come up with for her. No doubt it was her own fault for telling them all about her grandfather who she'd often spent time with up in the French Alps. Her eyes lifted from the map that was partially unfolded on her lap. "North, south, east and west," she gave him a thumbs-up and resisted the childish urge to stick her tongue out at him. "Just stay on this road and…"

The vehicle lurched slightly to the left, cutting off her words. Derek's hands braced tighter against the wheel as the SUV bounced along roughly for a moment. A few seconds later he safely pulled them to a stop on the side of the gravel road. "I think we got a flat," Morgan announced, setting the brake and unfastening his belt.

"No kidding," Emily quipped. "Either that or you just ran over a family of bunny rabbits."

He frowned at her comment. "Not funny, Prentiss," Derek opened his door and stepped outside to inspect the damage. Emily did likewise, walking around to the driver's side to join him. They both stared down at the very flat left-front tire. His eyes rose to her level. "My sister Desiree had a pet bunny for about three years, Mr. Cottontail. He was a really sweet short-hair, but then he had to move away to a farm one day."

"A farm?" Emily asked.

"Poor thing died," Morgan clarified. "Thankfully Desi was at a friend's house for the night when it happened. Mama and I agreed it was best to tell her that a nice old farmer stopped by and wanted to take Mr. Cottontail to live with him in Kansas. We told her he'd be happier there than in the city," Derek noticed the odd look on his colleague's face. "Desi was only eight at the time. She believed us."

"That's so sad."

Derek shrugged off her concern as they walked to the back of the vehicle. "We got her a cat a few months later. She was fine."

"No, I meant it's sad that you lied to her like that," Emily said.

He opened the spare tire hatch and pulled out the wrench and jack. Morgan also noticed that the spare was in good condition. "So, you don't think sugar-coating death is okay? Desi was just a kid," Derek reminded her.

She walked with him back to the flat, wrench in her left hand while he carted the jack. "I think that death is a part of life we all have to accept," Emily stated.

"Desiree was only six years old when our father was killed," Morgan dropped the jack onto the ground, a little rougher than necessary. "That sure as heck wasn't sugar coated for her. Two years later we didn't think she needed the added sorrow of losing a beloved pet."

Emily winced, hearing the defensive tone in his voice. Silence befell them for a short time after that as Derek jacked up the SUV and spun the lug nuts off the flat. Emily placed the small silvery items into the pockets of her light-blue fleece for safe keeping. "I can do more than just hold your nuts…" she stopped short, sure her face had probably just turned several shades of red. "That didn't exactly come out right. I meant that I know how to change a tire," Emily tried to pretend it was the cool wind that had flushed her cheeks. "My father made sure I knew everything about my car before I was allowed to drive on my own, including changing a flat."

"In that case, why don't you grab the spare for me," he instructed, pulling the flat off.

She was glad of the distraction and easily muscled the spare out of the back and rolled it to him. Emily stood nearby again as he hefted it onto the vehicle. She fished through her pockets to remove the items he'd need. "Your nuts," she said, presenting them to him open-palmed. The small grin on his face as he took them from her was just the opening she'd been hoping for. "I'm sorry I stuck my foot in my mouth earlier. I guess I'm still trying to fit in with this team and maybe I try too hard."

Morgan shook his head as he began to tighten each nut in a star pattern. "Our conversation just now had nothing to do with the team, it was personal. I consider you a friend as well as a co-worker, Prentiss," he let her know. "You spoke your mind and I respect you for that. The subject is just a little touchy for me. I am curious, though, about how you handle the job. We deal with a lot of death, and you've always been pretty steady," he noted.

Emily recalled Hotch and JJ saying something very similar to her not so long ago. "Death was never sugar coated for me. My grandmother passed away when I was five and my mother walked me right up to her open casket at the funeral," she explained. "When I was seven, my dog Trixie got hit by a car and I watched her bleed to death. My nanny was with me that day and she barely batted an eye at the whole ordeal. Then my parents simply said I could get another dog. I wasn't allowed to dwell on it, or even cry. I guess I've just become kind of numb to death over the years."

"I don't believe that for a second," Derek countered. "In just the short time since you joined the BAU I've seen you be anything but callous about death. You've helped calm victim's family members and comforted children. You're sympathetic and caring despite all the horrible things you see on a daily basis. From what I've seen, you're very good at what you do."

The hint of a smile curled her lips. "Thank you for saying so."

"It's the truth, and I _am_ a fan of the truth," he replied in a steady tone. "However, where my family is concerned, all I want is to protect them from any kind of pain. So, if living with a few white lies is the price for their piece of mind, I pay it willingly."

"I respect that," Prentiss let him know. She took a deep breath as he finished tightening the last lug nut. Her next words formed with little thought. "What did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?"

Derek got to his feet and eyed her with furrowed brows, utterly confused by the sudden direction her half of their conversation had taken. "What the heck are you talking about?" he asked, walking the wrench and flat tire to the back of the SUV. Morgan stowed everything and turned to her, still looking for an explanation.

"It's a joke," she answered, nervously drumming her fingers against her thighs. "When the situation feels uncomfortable, I tend to rely on lame jokes. It was something I did a lot as a kid, trying to fit in." Emily shrugged as he closed up the back of the SUV. "So, what did the fish say when it hit a concrete wall?"

He gave in, knowing they'd soon be at the crime scene where comedy would be the furthest thing from their minds. "I honestly have no idea," Derek shook his head.

"Dam," Emily reveled the punch line. "As in D-A-M, the thing that holds back water…"

"Yeah, I got it," he assured her, doing his best not to crack a smile. They jumped back into the SUV and Derek glanced over at her as he started the engine. "A friendly word of advice, stop trying so hard to fit in. You're a part of the team already, trust me. And no offence, but don't quit your day job to become a comedian," he finally let his smile shine.

They both chuckled softly as Derek pulled back onto the road.

* * *

**End**


	35. Night

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

Also set during the S2 episode, Open Season.

* * *

**Night**

By

N. J. Borba

* * *

By nightfall they still hadn't caught their killer and it was far too dark in the Idahoan woods for a night search. Gideon, Morgan and Prentiss had reluctantly called it a day as the sun set. They drove the short distance to a ranger's cabin where they were bunked down until first light. The cabin was really more of a shack, barely a wind-stop with just enough room for three cots. Thankfully there was a small heater and running water. But the water was cold and the heater didn't feel like it did much good once you were three feet away from it.

Emily lay on her back, flannel-lined sleeping bag pulled up to her chin. It was quiet in the cabin, aside from the gentle snores of the eldest profiler in the room. She shivered and tried to snuggle down further in her bag, but the cold still found small cracks to slip through. "Morgan?" she whispered his name, knowing he was just to her left. "You awake?"

"No," he sleepily replied.

She chuckled. "Bet you're not so happy now that you decided to come along with Gideon and me? A flat tire, a team of hunters going after human targets and now we're freezing our butts off. You could be in Spokane right now, a nice hotel with a real bed."

"And no one talking my ear off while I try to sleep," Derek added to the list of creature comforts.

"Sorry, but my hands are freezing," Emily declared. "I can't get to sleep when I'm cold."

Morgan sighed and shifted to his side, facing her even though they couldn't see a darn thing in the pitch blackness of the cabin. "I thought you were used to roughing it, mountain woman," he teased.

"Roughing it, yes," she agreed. "But even Papa Henri had cozy beds and hot cocoa at his cabin."

He smiled, even though she couldn't see him. "And marshmallows?"

"No, those were actually a luxury up on the mountain," Emily replied. "We didn't have those very often."

Derek's mind retreated to the long Chicago winter's he'd endured growing up. "Well, my sisters and I had to have marshmallows with our hot cocoa," he explained. "We would even have contests to see who could fit the most marshmallows in their mouths. Of course Sarah always won. She's had a big mouth since she was born."

"That's not very nice," Emily playfully scolded him. "But I like hearing you talk about your family."

"Thanks, I like hearing you talk about yours, too," he noted. "But we should probably stop being so loud or Gideon might wake up."

"Too late," a gravelly voice called out from their right. Gideon cleared his throat and turned over, rustling his sleeping bag. "I hate to break up this slumber party, but there's still a case pending. We should try to get at least a few hours sleep," he concluded.

Emily nodded an unseen affirmation and the cabin slipped back into silence. She rubbed her hands together and even blew on them in an attempt to generate some warmth. After a short time she could hear Gideon snoring again and figured Morgan had fallen asleep as well. But a soft rustling sound between their cots captured her attention. Then something was thrust into her face. "Here," Derek's voice was a whisper.

She grasped the soft bundle and smiled, realizing what they were. Emily unrolled his socks and slid them onto her cold hands. They were toasty in no time."Thank you," she called over to him.

"You're welcome," he replied groggily. A long quiet spell passed before he spoke up again. "Hey, Prentiss… I'm sorry about your dog, Trixie. I'm sorry you didn't get to mourn for her loss." Derek wasn't sure why he'd suddenly felt the need to say those words to her. Maybe out of a need to smooth over the somewhat harsh conversation they'd had about death earlier in the day.

"Knock, knock."

Morgan rolled his eyes in the darkness. He also tried very hard not to laugh. Somehow he knew that the joke was her way of thanking him for his condolences on her long-ago departed pet. Morgan had a feeling that Emily Prentiss had never really learned to cope with death. So she made jokes. "Who's there?"

Her face lit with a smile when he responded. "Ken," she continued.

"Ken who?" Derek asked.

"Ken I come in, it's freezing out here?" Emily chuckled softly.

Derek groaned at the awful joke. "As much as I hate to agree with Gideon, he's right. We really should get some sleep."

"Knock, knock," came Emily's only reply.

"Prentiss, I swear…" he trailed off, deciding to give in just one last time. "Who's there?"

Emily smiled again. She was immensely thankful for his friendship. Jumping into the closely knit BAU unit had been a scary prospect, but he'd been the one to make her feel welcome almost right from the start. It was a gift she'd so rarely been granted in her life. And maybe he'd been right earlier when he insisted that she already fit in with the team, but she'd also quickly grown fond of pushing his buttons. "Good," her reply final came.

"Good who?" he indulged her last round of fun.

"Goodnight, Morgan."

He sighed, unable to be perturbed at her after that final note of good humor. "Goodnight, mountain woman," Derek whispered.

* * *

**End**


	36. Cry

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Cry**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily turned onto her side and pulled the pillow down over her ears, trying to drown out the sound of her daughter's cry. It was her turn to get a good night's sleep while Derek took care of baby Lulu, but from what Emily could hear he wasn't doing a very good job. And it was extremely hard for her not to leap from the bed to tend her child's needs. But she was so tired she honestly didn't think she could get out of bed.

A few seconds later, Emily realized she wouldn't have to get up, because the crying grew closer and closer until it was finally inside her bedroom. "Em?" she heard Derek call out to the darkened room. She did her best to stay still and quiet, hoping he'd get the hint that she didn't want to be disturbed. But apparently he hadn't already gotten that hint after her telling him ten times the day before. "Emily, I really need your help," he pleaded over the upset cries of their baby girl.

"I am so fucking tired," she finally groaned, pealing the pillow off her head.

He immediately swooped in upon hearing her speak. "Hey, language," Morgan admonished as he sat down on the bed beside her.

Her left hand reached over and up to turn the lamp on. "She has no idea what that word means," Emily glared at him in the dim light. "And you promised me a whole night of sleep. I've been up with her for the last three nights in a row while you were gone on that Utah case."

Derek gently bounced Lulu, still trying to get her to quiet down. "I wasn't exactly sitting on a beach sipping pina coladas the last three days, Em," he replied. "And I know I promised, but I've done everything I can think of and she won't go back to sleep. I fed her and changed her, rocked, walked and jiggle-bounced until my feet wore a hole in the carpet. I don't know what else to try."

"She needs to be burped," Emily sleepily replied.

His head shook. "No, I burped her after the bottle," Derek assured her.

Emily heaved an annoyed sigh, sat up and took the baby from him. She held the girl high up on her shoulder and patted her little back. It wasn't long before their baby girl made a not-so-girlish burp. It was followed closely by an even louder second on. "Good, girl," Emily cooed. "I bet that feels a lot better, hmm?"

Morgan's chest deflated in defeat as Lulu stopped crying. "How did you know she needed to burp again?"

"She always gets gassier from bottle feeding rather than breast," Emily said as she kissed Lulu's forehead and then handed her back to Derek.

He frowned. "Maybe that's something you could have shared with me before now?"

A nonsensical sound escaped her lips, which was rather more grouchy than apologetic in tone. "Lu should sleep for a few hours now," Emily said as she flicked the lamp off and snuggled down into the comfy sheets. "And I swear to God if you wake me up again… you're never going to _touch_ me again," she vowed.

"Mommy's just a little sleep deprived," Derek whispered as he walked his daughter toward the door. "She didn't really mean that."

"Oh yes, she did," Emily called after him.

xxx

The next morning Emily woke feeling amazingly well rested. After Derek and Lulu had woke her up around midnight she hadn't heard a single peep out of either one of them again. Meaning she'd gotten close to eight whole hours of sleep. She knew that was a feat of gigantic proportions given Lulu was only three weeks old. But as she glanced over to the other side of her bed, Emily felt a little bit bad.

Derek was sprawled on top of the sheets, clothes still on and looking dead to the world. Lulu was swaddled in her bassinet beside him, blessedly asleep. Emily smiled as she leaned over to kiss her husband. "Morning," he mumbled without opening his eyes.

"Sorry," Emily replied as she tried to figure out what was jabbing her in the stomach. "I didn't mean to wake you," she added, retreating to her side of the bed again and finally noticing the sea of baby items atop their comforter. "Derek, sweetie… why is all of this stuff on our bed?"

"Hmm?" Derek yawned and cracked his eyelids to half-mast as he turned toward the sound of her voice. "I decided we're not going to leave this bed today, so I stocked up on diapers, wipes and whatever else I thought we might need.

She grinned. "What about food?"

"That's what we have Kacey for," he answered. "I've assigned her our gofer for the day. I think she's bringing us strawberry pop-tarts for breakfast, but beggars can't be choosers, right? At least they have fruit. And Lu can eat from the mommy fountain all day. See… all figured out," he absently tapped the side of his head. "If I can chase UnSubs through forests, city streets and buildings, I can handle this dad stuff," he declared. "Oh, and you don't have to worry about me trying to touch you, because I'm too damn tired. I don't know how you did this by yourself for three nights in a row."

Emily laughed, reaching over to stroke the stubble on the side of his face. "I'm sorry I snapped at you last night. You did a great job with Lu, and I slept better than I have in… possibly forever," she said, mainly because she couldn't recall the last good night of rest she'd gotten. Her worry about Morris had been ongoing for most of her pregnancy and then Lulu had made her grand entrance. Since then they'd been trying to negotiate their new lives as the parents of a newborn and a six-year-old. It hadn't been easy, to say the least. "And I applaud your staying in bed all day plan. There's just one problem, I have to go to the bathroom."

Morgan's eyes were still barely open as he fished around on the bed. After a bit of effort he came up with a diaper in his right hand and tossed it at his wife. "Problem solved," he drowsily chuckled.

* * *

**End**


	37. Summer

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Summer**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"Hello, anyone home?" Derek called out as he dropped his duffle bag and moved through the house. He felt a little bit like some sixties TV dad, coming home to the wife and kids after a long day at work, although he'd actually been gone for two long days. Truth be told, a part of him liked the notion of being the provider while Emily stayed at home with Kacey and Lulu. But he knew if Emily ever caught wind of that chauvinistic side, no matter how miniscule it was, she'd pulverize him.

Kacey flung open the back door and leapt into his arms. "Daddy, its summer break!" she exclaimed.

"I know, kiddo," he kissed her cheek and realized she was dripping wet, soaking his clothes. "Let me guess, after the last day of school you went swimming?"

The girl smiled and nodded. "Mommy and me are still swimming, Lulu too."

"Oh yeah?" he asked as he walked with her toward the door. "And how is Lulu doing, she a good swimmer?"

"Well, mommy won't let her go in the pool, because she's too little," Kacey revealed in a slightly hushed tone, as if it were some big secret to be kept between the two of them. "So, she's not really swimming," the girl continued. "But I think she likes looking at the water."

Derek put the girl down and watched as she headed straight for the pool and jumped in. His eyes then gazed upon the port-a-crib set up nearby, which was sporting a beach umbrella attached to one side, rather ingeniously. He squatted down in front of it and snuck a peek at the baby inside. "How are you doing, peanut? Enjoying your little cabana?" Lulu kicked her legs as she slobbered on a fist. She was just a few days shy of being six weeks old, but Morgan was pretty sure she looked about three months already. And she seemed very advanced for her age, at least in her daddy's eyes.

When he caught sight of Emily swimming toward him, Morgan sat down along the pool's edge, rolled up his pants and dunked his feet in. She swam in between his legs and rested her wet arms against his thighs. "That's a rather sexy t-shirt and shorts combo you've got going on there," he teased.

"Yeah, well I've got at least ten more baby pounds to lose before these thighs and tummy go anywhere near a proper bathing suit," Emily replied.

"I think you're gorgeous just the way you are," Derek whispered as he leaned down to kiss his wife hello.

They were interrupted much too soon by Kacey's excited voice. "Daddy! Watch me!"

Kacey stood at the end of the diving board and then jumped off, performing a cannonball that splashed her parents. Derek clapped when the girl re-surfaced, and he faced Emily with arched brows. "You sure you didn't have an affair with a dolphin to produce that one?" he chuckled.

"Maybe there was a mix-up at the hospital," Emily played along. "I knew I shouldn't have given birth next door to that aquarium," she joked. They both chuckled for a moment. "So, how are you doing?" she asked in a silly, yet sexy, voice while pulling Derek toward her again to give him a proper welcome home kiss.

His eyes fluttered open again several moments later when they both came up for air. "I'm good. I missed you the last two days."

"Missed you, too," Emily replied. "I'll show you just how much later tonight when the kids are asleep," she promised.

Morgan's cheeks felt warm, and he was pretty sure it wasn't from the sunshine. "How did the last day of school go?" he changed the subject to something much more mundane to take his mind off their future nighttime activities.

She moved to his left and pushed up with her arms, emerging from the pool and taking a seat beside him. "Okay, I guess. Kacey loves school so she was actually a little sad, which is why we're having this pool party," Emily explained. "But next week she'll have swim lessons starting up and art day-camp. She'll be fine."

"In my day, we spent summer days playing ball and roaming places we really shouldn't have been roaming," Derek recalled.

Emily nodded. "I did plenty of roaming myself."

He noticed a strange look on her face and had a feeling something was up. "Did anything else happen today? Because you look a little, I don't know, out of sorts?"

A sigh escaped before her words. "Maybe it's nothing," she shrugged, pausing a second to turn and check on Lulu. The little girl had fallen asleep, even with her big sister yelling and splashing about. "When I went to pick Kacey up today after school," she resumed. "I overheard her talking to some of her friends about what happened to Morris. She was telling them about how I killed him and she kept calling me a hero. It sounded kind of like she was bragging about it."

"She's six years old, Em. You _are_ her hero," Derek didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

"But I didn't want to kill him," Emily protested. "On some level I did want him dead," she admitted. "And I know he hurt us a great deal, but he was mourning the loss of his little girl. And if there'd been any other way to stop him…" she tried to shake the conflicting thoughts from her head. "I just don't want Kacey to think that killing is the only way to resolve conflict."

"Hey," Derek reached over and gently took one of her hands in his. He held it against his chest, near his heart. "Morris had a gun pushed up against my ribcage that day, and if he'd fired… I wouldn't be here sitting with you right now. You knew there was no other choice to be made, Em. You saved my life that day. You're my hero too," he insisted, kissing her forehead. "But you're right about Kacey. I guess we've never properly talked to her about what happened that day."

Emily sighed. "We just wanted to forget it."

Morgan beckoned the girl out of the pool and had her sit down between them. "How was your last day of school?" he asked.

"It was good," Kacey softly splashed her feet in the water as she spoke. "We got to eat popcorn balls that Daniel's mom made for the whole class. And we watched a video about the animals of the rainforest."

"Well, I'm glad we're paying a fortune for you to watch TV and eat junk food," Derek reached out and tickled her side. Kacey squirmed away from his touch, but they settled down quickly. "Kace," he pulled on his serious voice. "Your mom said you were telling your friends about how she shot Morris."

The girl nodded. "She made the bad man go away."

"Yeah, she did," Morgan agreed. "But mommy didn't want to have to hurt that man."

"But he hurt us," Kacey protested. "Isn't that why you and mommy carry guns, to hurt the bad guys?"

"No," Emily finally jumped in, looking her daughter in the eye. It was not the sort of conversation she ever wanted to have with her child, at any age. "Your daddy and I have to carry guns in case someone tries to hurt us or someone we're trying to protect. But we try really, really hard not to use them," she explained. "We do our best to talk to the bad guys and make them understand that what they've done is wrong."

"I heard you try to talk to that bad man, Paul," Kacey spoke up again. "He wouldn't listen to you."

"You're right, he wouldn't," Emily agreed. "He was too sad and too upset for me to be able to talk to him, so I didn't have any other choice than to hurt him. But what happened that day is private stuff that you don't need to be telling your friends. Okay?"

Kacey nodded, getting to her knees and wrapping her arms around Emily's neck. "I'm sorry, mommy."

"I know you are, Kace," she whispered back.

In the next instant Kacey turned to her daddy and asked, "Can I swim some more now?"

Derek gave his approval and looked to Emily when the six-year-old was out of earshot. "How much do you think she understood?" he asked.

"I'm really not sure," Emily shrugged. "But hopefully the more time that passes, the more she's going to forget about that day all together." She took a deep breath of the warm afternoon air and let the sunshine rejuvenate her. "I know I would like to forget it all, at least for the rest of the day. Because it's a gorgeous summer day in which we should all be swimming." She looked Derek up and down. "That means you need to get your swim trunks on and join us."

Morgan watched her jump back into the pool to join Kacey. He quickly went into the house to change and was outside again ten minutes later performing a side-by-side cannonball with Kacey that sent a mini-tsunami across the pool. The wave slapped Emily in the face, and Derek swam toward his wife, pretending to save her. He held her cradled in his arms and kissed her chlorinated earlobe. "Maybe tonight when you're showing me how much you missed me…" he whispered in the same ear. "It could involve a swim without our suits on," he suggested.

Emily glanced over to see that Kacey was oblivious to their conversation. "In that case, I think two little girls are going to bed extra early tonight," she declared.

* * *

**End**


	38. Choices

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Choices**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek balanced a large cardboard box with one hand and fiddled with his house key as he opened the door and carefully maneuvered inside. He used one booted foot to slide his duffle bag inside and then kicked the door shut. Once inside he further slid the bag so it came to rest in front of the hall closet, safely out of the path of any six-year-old who might not be watching where she was going, as Kacey often did. He worked his way toward the kitchen where he heard his wife's voice. Morgan stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her backside as she lugged Lulu around and wiped down the countertops with a sponge.

"Daddy thinks he's very sneaky, Lu," she told the girl. "But mommy knows he's standing there watching us."

He grinned and stepped fully into the kitchen, presenting her with the pizza box. "Half cheese, and half grown-up pizza," Derek announced, sliding the box onto the counter. He then closed the gap between himself and Emily and kissed her on the lips. "Missed you."

Emily smiled as Lulu reached out for him. "We missed you too," she replied. "But where's the milk?"

Morgan took the baby, kissed her cheek and faced his wife again. "You didn't say to get milk. I picked up the usual Friday night pizza like you asked, but there was no milk request," he maintained.

"I know I told you to get milk," Emily said.

"No," he shook his head. "You didn't."

"Well, we need milk." She starred at him as if he should have known that without her saying a word. "Kacey has to have milk for her cereal in the morning."

He was a little upset by the fact that their reunion had spiraled into a domestic squabble so quickly, but Derek tried to remain calm and work out a solution. "She can have toast or something else for breakfast."

Emily sighed. "You know she's in this faze where she won't eat anything other than cheerios," she reminded him.

"Then you can go to the store later tonight or early tomorrow and get some milk," Morgan finally let some of his frustration out in the tone of his voice.

"Me?" Emily looked like he'd just slapped her in the face. "Why not you?" she asked. "You're the one who forgot to pick it up. And I've already been to the store four times in the last three days."

"I did not forget it, because you never told me to get it. Besides, I've been working all week and I…" he caught the death stare she flashed his way and realized the mistake of his words. She turned away from him, flinging a cupboard open and loudly removing plates and glasses for their evening meal. "Emily, come on… you know I didn't mean it that way. What you do here is a job, too, I understand that. I just…"

She walked past him in a huff, carrying plates to the table. "Do you know how much money I spent on those four shopping trips?" Emily took a breath but didn't give him time to answer. "Two hundred and fifty some dollars, and most of it was on baby stuff. Do you have any idea how many diapers a baby goes through in a week's time? A lot. And the electricity bill came today. I don't know why we agreed to live in a house with a pool, because that pump costs a ridiculous amount to run. And Kacey's swim lessons and that art camp… how are people supposed to survive on single incomes these days? It's ridiculous."

Derek shifted Lulu to his shoulder and whispered in the girl's ear. "I think mommy needs a break," he patted the baby's back as he walked over to the table where Emily had plunked herself down in one of the chairs. "Hey," he sat beside her and reached out to take one of her hands. "What is all this about money and single incomes? The house is paid for, it was a gift. The taxes are a little steep and the pool _is_ a ridiculous expenditure," he agreed. "But Kacey loves it, so it's not like it's just sitting out there collecting dust. And you're getting paid for your maternity leave and will be back to work in a few more weeks. So, what's really going on here?"

"What if I didn't go back to work?" Emily asked.

He was surprised by that question. Even though he liked the notion of her being home with the girls, he never thought it would be something she'd consider full-time, and it was never something he'd suggest or demand of her. "Emily, if you don't want to go back to work I'd be perfectly fine with that. We'll figure out how live on one income," Derek finally offered. "Heck, I'd be fine with you working full-time and me staying home with the girls," he squeezed her hand. "But I think the girls would boot me out of the job in a big hurry, because I don't braid hair very well," he chuckled.

That caused Emily to smile, and relax just a little. "I want to go back to work, I really do. Seriously, the most intelligent things I've said today were, that was a really good burp, Lu… and, don't spray your sister with water, Kacey," she sighed. "But, I also don't want to think about putting Lulu in any kind of daycare, or having Kacey end up there with her after school. I want the girls to remember me as being a good mom, but I also want them to know that girls can be more than just mom's, but I can't exactly do both, can I? How do I make that choice?"

Morgan kissed her fingertips. "I suggest we do some more serious thinking on the matter and see if we can come up with a solution. But right now, I think we all need some food fuel. Where's Kacey?"

"Remember the part of my lament where Kacey sprayed her sister with water?" she asked. "Well, she's in her room doing time."

"Oh," he nodded. "What exactly did she do?"

"She was helping me wash carrots for the salad and ended up using the spray nozzle to douse Lu," Emily explained. "Kacey claims it was an accident, but…"

"You don't believe her," Derek concluded.

Emily shook her head. "I may be a little rusty in the behavioral analysis practice, but there was definite intend in her eyes," she noted. "I told her to stay in her room until you got home for dinner. I just don't understand why she would do something like that? I really thought we'd worked past all the jealousy issues before Lu was even born."

Morgan chuckled. "You grew up an only child, Em. This sibling rivalry stuff, it never actually ends."

"Great," she groaned.

He got up and handed Lulu back to her. "Here, you hold on to this one for a while and remember what a good mommy you are," Morgan gave her a quick peck on the lips. "And I will have a talk with the imprisoned one."

Derek took to the stairs, turned left at the top landing and made his way to Kacey's door. He knocked lightly and then entered. He didn't see her at first until he walked around the bed and found her seated against the side of the bed with Ginger's snout on her lap. She was petting the dog as she held her stuffed ladybug puppet. The puppet was talking to Ginger. "Don't splash your little sister, Kacey," she scolded the dog, who was clearly playing her in the reenactment.

"Hey, Kace," Morgan made his presence known and watched the girl drop the puppet into her lap. "Can I sit down?"

She shrugged. "I guess," the girl replied.

Morgan had a bit of trouble getting his long legs to curl up in the space between her bed and the wall, but he finally got situated and ran a hand over Ginger's black and golden coat. "I heard you got sent up here for a time-out," he gently breeched the subject. "Wanna tell me your side of the story?"

"I don't like Lulu," she declared.

"That's pretty harsh, don't you think?" Derek tried to take an easy line with her, still hoping to suss out the real problem. "I doubt you really mean that. I've seen how much you love your sister. So, what's really bugging you?"

Kacey sighed and finally looked over at him. "She's no fun. I can't play with her and mommy spends a lot of time with her and… and she kept trying to grab the carrots from me when I was washing them and I told her no, but she didn't listen. So I sprayed her and mommy got mad at me. It wasn't fair."

Derek was glad to finally hear the truth. "You know Lulu is just a baby," he told her.

"That's what mommy said," she folded her arms over her chest.

He could see she wasn't going to be pacified by that explanation, and rightfully so. "You know what? You have a very important job as Lulu's big sister, because you already know the difference between right and wrong. She needs to learn those lessons, and all of us can help teach her. Especially you, because she's going to look to you for the most guidance," he explained.

"She will?" Kacey seemed interested by that prospect.

"Sure, she'll want to emulate you. And she'll be jealous of you because you'll get to do stuff she can't, like staying up later and you'll be the first one allowed to go out on dates when you're older," Derek paused a second, not really wanting to think about that future yet. "Although, not until you're thirty," he added. "But it's your choice, to either set a good example for Lulu or a bad one."

"Daddy, I didn't really mean it when I said I didn't like her," Kacey revealed. "I was just upset."

Derek smiled. "I know, darling. And it's still going to be a while until Lulu gets to an age where you can really play together. But until then we get to have fun watching her grow up. Soon she'll be crawling and talking and walking. And she already smiles every time she sees you or hears your voice," he noted.

Kacey grinned brightly. "Yeah, she does," the girl seemed proud of that fact. Her smile faltered a bit as she looked her father in the eye. "Am I still in trouble?"

His head shook a negative response. "Nope, but you do need to apologize."

"To mommy?"

"Yes, and to Lulu," Derek added. "But first you need to come over here and give me a really big welcome home hug, because I haven't seen you since I tucked you into bed Wednesday night."

The little girl jumped up, causing Ginger to retreat and leave them to their hug. Kacey wrapped her arms around his neck and squeezed for all she was worth. "I missed you, daddy," she said, kissing his cheek.

He heaved her up into his arms as he got to his feet. "I missed you too, kiddo. Now let's go eat."

When they got downstairs, Emily had the table set and was balancing Lulu in the crook of one arm as she fed the baby. Kacey jumped down from Derek's arms and went to her mother. "I'm sorry for what I did," she told her mom. Then she bent over to kiss the top of Lulu's head. "I'm sorry I sprayed you, Lu," she apologized.

The baby smiled around the rubber nipple in her mouth and Kacey turned to Derek with another proud grin on her face. Emily watched the two of them and was grateful to have Derek in her life, being right there with her when it came to the tough job of parenting. They all settled down at the table and said a quick blessing before they began to eat. Derek was on his second slice of pizza when he looked to his wife.

"There's a surprise I've been keeping from you and Kacey, but I think it might solve your problem of making a choice between mommy duty and work."

Her brows drew together. "I sincerely hope this idea of yours doesn't involve me strapping Lulu to one hip and my weapon to the other."

Morgan chuckled softly, but he didn't miss a beat. "Guess I should cancel that special order baby-sized Kevlar vest I was having made for Lulu," he quipped. They both laughed at his joke, even as Kacey looked at them like they were crazy. "No," he grew serious again a few seconds later. "Actually, my idea involves piece of mind."

Emily was curious by that cryptic response. "And when do I get to find out what this idea is?"

"Like I said before, it's a surprise," he replied, giving away nothing.

She frowned, not caring much for surprises, with the exception of the baby in her arms. "Which will be revealed when?"

"Tomorrow afternoon."

xxx

Saturday morning dawned and Derek got up extra early so he could sneak out of the house before his three girls were awake. When he returned and walked into the kitchen with a jug of milk in one hand and a bunch of fresh tulips in the other, Emily smiled over the top of her coffee mug. She rose from the table and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You are the best husband I've ever had," she told him, kissing him passionately.

He took a step back. "I better be your only husband, ever," Derek grinned.

Kacey bounded into the room and stood beside Derek, looking up at him with big eyes. Ginger was at her side, also starring intently at him. "Is it time for the surprise yet, daddy?" she asked.

Derek scooped her up and tickled her as they went to fetch bowls and cereal. "Didn't I tell you and mommy that the surprise isn't until this afternoon?" he asked, watching as she nodded. Morgan leaned in and whispered to the girl. "I bet mommy put you up to this, didn't she?"

The girl nodded her head again. "Yep," she quickly rated her mother out.

"Hey, I heard all of that!" Emily called out as she watched them move back to the table. She glared at her daughter. "Just remember, I'm the one who French braids your hair the way you like. Not daddy."

Father and daughter sat down at the table and Derek poured cereal for each of them. "I always forget that mom's have super-human hearing," he blew Emily a kiss across the table. "But you're still not going to find out what the surprise is until later," he maintained.

xxx

It was a quarter past two when Emily descended the stairs, a freshly changed, fed and burped Lulu in her arms. The eight-week-old baby had napped for nearly four hours, and Emily had a feeling the girl was going to go down again in just a short while. She walked the baby outside to where Kacey and Derek had so far spent most of the day soaking up sun and swimming. Currently they were seated at the patio table with a snack of juice, crackers and apple slices with cheese.

Emily handed Derek the baby and slumped into a chair beside him, thankful for the shade of the table's umbrella. "I think our daughter believes she's an owl, or maybe a bat, raccoon, possum… something nocturnal," she mumbled. "I'm pretty sure she sleeps all day just so she can stay up all night and torture us."

He smiled down at the girl. "Are you a baby owl?" Derek shook his head. "I don't think so. Mommy's just being silly, isn't she?"

They all heard the doorbell ring, even from outside. "I'm not answering that," Emily groaned. "I don't want to buy any cookies or magazine subscriptions, nor do I wish to be preached at by two young men, no matter how nicely dressed they are."

Derek took Lulu with him as he stood, but he bent to kiss Emily. "I think we really need to get you out of the house a little more often," he teased as he set off for the door. When he returned to the patio a few minutes later, Morgan cleared his throat to catch Kacey and Emily's attention. "I now present your surprise," he announced, waving a hand toward the doorway.

A young woman with strawberry blonde hair walked out to greet them and Kacey jumped up from her seat. "Molly!" she exclaimed, running headlong toward the woman who had been her nanny for many years. "I can't believe you're here," she hugged her friend tightly. "Can you go swimming with me? Or maybe I can show you my room, or…"

"Slow down there, Kace," Derek stepped in. "Molly is our guest today and she's just flown in from St. Louis. Why don't we let her have a seat for a while," he motioned toward the chair across from Emily. "Now, I think you know everyone here except for this little peanut in my arms," he bounced the baby a little in indication. "This is Lulu," Morgan introduced.

Molly smiled. "She's gorgeous, may I?" she held her hands out.

Morgan nodded, handing the girl over. He caught his wife's eye, thankful that she didn't seem upset about the surprise visit. Though she was being very quiet. Derek took his seat beside Emily and Kacey jumped onto his lap. Ginger made her way over, instantly going to the new person and giving her a good sniff. "Ginger, stop that," Emily finally spoke up, calling the dog away from their guest. She looked to Molly. "Sorry, she's kind of overprotective of our family."

"That's okay," Molly shifted the baby to one arm so she could pat Ginger on the head. "It's nice to finally meet you, girl. Kacey sent me pictures of you, some she drew and some photographs too," she talked to the dog. "I know she was happy to have you come into her life. She wanted a dog for a long time."

Kacey grinned. "She's the best doggie ever."

"And you look so happy here," Molly told the girl, noticing how Kacey was curled up on Morgan's lap. She didn't think she'd ever seen that closeness between Kacey and Lucas. Her attention turned to Emily as Lulu slobbered all over her fingers. "I'm sorry about the surprise visit, but Mr. Morgan insisted."

Emily shook her head. "Don't worry about that. Kacey is thrilled, and I'm glad you could finally come see how she's doing. How have you been?"

"Final exams were very time consuming this year, and graduation with all my family visiting was great, but a little stressful," Molly explained good-naturedly. "I'm so glad to have a little time off now. I went to Italy with some friends for two weeks right after graduation, which was heaven. And then Mr. Morgan called last week and asked if I'd be interested in visiting. So, here I am."

"Last week?" Emily turned her eyes on Derek. "You managed to keep something from me for a whole week?"

He couldn't be sure if she was upset or impressed, but hoped for the latter. "Guilty as charged," he shrugged.

"Well, it's great to have you here," Emily smiled welcoming. "But please feel free to call us Emily and Derek. We are not that formal around here. And I hope you brought a swim suit, otherwise we'll have to take you to the nearest store right away, because someone here pretty much lives in the pool."

"Me!" Kacey squealed.

xxx

The girls were both asleep when Derek and Emily walked Molly up to the small apartment above their detached garage. Emily helped the young woman put clean sheets on the bed and left her some fresh towels. After that they all finally sat down on the sofa in the small space and Emily looked from Derek to Molly and back again. "So, are either of you going to tell me the real reason behind this visit, because I get the feeling it's about more than just seeing Kacey."

"I'm sorry, I thought Derek would have talked to you about it by now," Molly sounded worried about stepping on toes.

"No," Emily shook her head. "But I gather it involves the possibility of you working for us, like say, maybe taking care of our children when I go back to work? Am I sniffing anywhere near the truth here?"

Derek chuckled. "You're too smart," he told his wife. "What do you think?"

"Well," Emily addressed Molly. "I'm curious why you'd want to go back to a nanny position after graduating. Your degree is in early childhood development, right? Isn't there something more you want to do with that?"

Molly nodded. "There's an elementary school in Boston that I've applied to. It's very prestigious, but they won't have any openings at their pre-school program for another year, possibly even two. So, it was actually really great timing for me when Derek contacted me with this possibility. And of course, it's still entirely up to you two, but you know I adore Kacey. And Lulu, well, she looks like she's going to be quite a handful."

"I blame that on Derek's genetics," Emily quipped.

He jabbed Emily in the side with his elbow. "Then you're definitely interested?"

"Very much," Molly answered.

Emily pondered it for a short time before voicing another concern. "Have you worked with babies much? I mean, Kacey was two when you started with Lucas, right?"

"I haven't done any professional work taking care of babies Lulu's age, but my older brother and his wife have twin boys who just turned three years old. So, I've gotten a lot of hands on experience with them. I've never dropped either of them and always managed to diaper and feed the right ends."

Her answer put Emily at ease. "I don't think we could pay you even half of what Lucas did. The trust-fund Kacey's uncles set up from Lucas's estate won't be accessible to her until she's twenty-five."

"Oh, please," Molly shook her head. "Mr. Donovan was always much too generous. And at the time I appreciated it because I had college to pay for. But, due to his generosity I was able to walk away from four years of school without any student loans to repay. And I imagine if I worked for you I would be able to stay here?" she flicked her hand around the apartment.

"Of course," they agreed.

"Then I don't see where I'd need much in the way of monetary compensation," Molly concluded.

"My maternity leave ends next week, can you start that early?"

The young woman nodded. "I can stay on right now and have my folks send anything else I need," she replied.

Emily took a deep breath. "I'm hoping to be able to work part-time for the first few months, but at some point I'll probably go back into the field. And hopefully Derek and I can figure out some synchronicity within our separate teams so that we're not both away at the same time. But, if that ever did come up, how would you feel about staying with the girls for a few days at a time?"

"I believe I could handle that," Molly confidently replied. "What I want most is to make sure you feel safe about leaving the girls with me. I still feel horrible about what happened to Kacey under my watch. And I completely understand if that makes you uncomfortable. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn your trust."

"You already have our trust, Molly," Emily let her know. "What happened before wasn't anything you could have prevented. It doesn't even enter into this decision."

Derek and Emily stood. "We're going to sleep on it and let you know for sure in the morning. Okay?" Emily asked.

"That would be great," Molly agreed.

They took their leave of the young woman and retreated to their back patio. It was still plenty warm even though the sun had set. Derek sprawled out on one of the lounge chairs and Emily snuggled up beside him, pressing the length of her body against his and resting her head on his shoulder. "What are you thinking?" he kissed her forehead, watching the water in the pool shimmer against the lights around the edges of the pool.

"I think I really would like to go back to work, and you made that choice much easier for me by bringing Molly out here. Thank you," she drew his lips in for a more passionate kiss. "You know…" Emily's hands wandered across his chest. "We never did get around to that skinny dip we were going to take a few weeks ago." She pulled away from him and seductively pulled at the bottom edge of her shirt.

"Emily," he sat up with interest, but was wary. "We have a guest."

She shrugged. "The garage is on the other side of the house with two huge fir trees blocking her view of the pool. And she's probably already asleep after her travels and Kacey wearing her out." Emily tugged her shirt all the way off to reveal the bathing suit she was still wearing. A few seconds later her shorts joined the shirt on the ground. "You gonna join me, or what?" she asked, stepping down into the pool.

Morgan shed his shirt and followed her in clad only in his swim trunks. He wrapped his arms around her waist as they waded into the deeper water, stopping when it got to their necks. Derek kissed her softly, caressing the back of her neck and shoulders. "I think this is the kind of choice they call a no-brainer," he whispered, reaching out to pull down the straps on her suit.

* * *

**End**


	39. Fair

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Fair**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The warm August sunshine shone down as Kacey laid her head against Derek's shoulder and did her best to sniff back tears. "How come they said I was too short to ride, daddy?" She watched the busy scene all around them, parents and kids waiting in line to buy tickets or to go on rides, people calling out for them to play games, music of all sorts, food and candy stands, and the whir and zip of rides being operated. A trip to the local fair had been Kacey's idea to celebrate her seventh birthday, and both had fallen on a weekend so her parents were free, but so far it had been a bit of a disappointment for the little girl.

Derek rubbed her back as he glanced over at his wife, looking for some guidance. Emily shrugged, not sure what to suggest. "They have specific rules, baby girl," he finally replied, deciding the truth was always the best policy. "And there are some rides that just aren't meant for little girls like you," he tried to explain.

"But I'm seven now," Kacey protested. "And I'm not scared of that ride. They're just swings. I love to swing."

Emily adjusted the baby carrier which was holding Lulu against her chest. She turned her head to address Kacey. "The fair has rules for your safety. They just don't want you to get hurt. And there are lots of other rides you can go on, like the teacups and the giant slide. We can also go look at all of the animals. I hear they have a small petting zoo section," Emily suggested, hoping to ease her daughter's mood.

"Baby rides," the girl lamented.

Morgan felt his heart go out to her. "Why don't we get some ice cream?"

"Can I have chocolate?" Kacey asked, perking up a little.

"Sure," he agreed. "What do you think mom?"

"I think we were going to do cake and ice cream at home later," Emily reminded him. "With my parents and Molly," she added. But seeing the look on Kacey's face made her cave. "Okay, one scoop of ice cream now," she gave in. "And cake and ice cream later, and daddy can deal with you when you're bouncing off the walls at bedtime tonight," she concluded. "Why don't you two go, I'm going to take Lu to the restroom changing station."

He kissed Emily on the cheek. "Would you like an ice cream?"

"No," Emily replied. "But how about a scone?" she arched her brows.

"You got it," Derek grinned.

xxx

Three hours later, after ice cream, animal petting, face painting, a few kiddy rides and even some cotton candy, Emily was ready to be done with the fair. It was fine for older kids like Kacey, but packing Lulu around was pretty much a chore for her. Even since they'd put the baby in the stroller and she'd fallen asleep, Emily had to keep her eye on the girl every second because there were so many people around. Not to mention that her job and what had happened to Kacey made her paranoid about losing sight of either of her children.

"What about the Ferris wheel?" Kacey asked.

Derek and Emily exchanged a look which they both understood, each of them recalling the first time they'd been to a carnival together. It hadn't been a date or any kind of fun outing for them, but rather a case that had drawn them there; their UnSub having taken a child for a ride on the Ferris wheel. Some days they both hated how many things were ruined by images and memories from their job.

"Pop one balloon and win a prize!" someone called out from their right. "Kids always win a prize here!"

"Can we play a game?" Kacey asked; her attention easily diverged from the Ferris wheel.

"Sure you can," Derek replied, walking her over to the game with the balloons. "Every kid wins a prize here?" he asked the game operator, wanting to clarify what he'd heard earlier. "So, she's guaranteed to get something?"

The young woman behind the booth nodded her head of dark hair and flashed them both a friendly smile as she replied. "Yes, sir, it just takes four ticks and she can throw the dart until she wins."

"Dart throwing?" Emily cringed.

"She'll be fine," Derek assured his wife as he handed over the appropriate number of tickets. "Can I help her throw it?" he asked the attendant.

"You can have her stand up here," the woman indicated the platform in front of her. "But you need to hold on to her at all times, and she needs to be the one to throw the dart in order to win the prize."

Emily turned the stroller away from the throwing area as she eyed the dark-haired woman manning the booth. "I've seen my daughter throw things before," she kept her voice low, somewhat conspiratorially. "You might want to stand back," Emily warned.

Kacey seemed oblivious to everything going on around her, including her mother's doubtful words. She took the dart and held it high, aimed for a blue balloon and threw for all she was worth. A loud popping sound caused them all to jump with surprise, but Kacey jumped up and down with joy. "I did it!" she cheered for herself.

"Yes you did," Derek was impressed. Of course the board was pretty packed with large balloons, making the targets fairly easy to hit, but he wasn't about to burst his little girl's bubble when she sounded so proud of herself.

"You get your choice of a small prize," the woman let Kacey know. "Either a bee or a ladybug."

"Get the bee, Kace," Emily told her. "You have enough ladybugs."

"I want the ladybug," Kacey told the woman, despite what her mother had just suggested. "It's the cutest," she beamed when the tiny stuffed animal was in her arms. Derek helped her down and Kacey walked right over to the stroller. "Here you go, Lu. You can have this one. It's your first ladybug."

The baby smiled just to hear her sister's voice. She didn't seem overly impressed with the animal, other than wanting to stuff it in her mouth. Emily immediately reached for the toy and ripped the tag off before she returned it to Lulu. "That was really sweet, Kacey," she kissed the girl atop her head. Her attention turned to Derek in the next instant. "Now can we go home?"

"I want to play another game," Kacey said before Derek could answer. "So I can get a bigger prize for me." She glanced around the line of games and spotted one that looked fun. Kacey grabbed Derek's hand. "Can we do this one with the balls?"

Morgan shrugged apologetically when he caught Emily looking at him again. "Sorry, but we do need to use up these tickets," he told her.

Emily followed behind them, pushing Lulu along. "How do you play this game?" she asked the tall man attending the game Kacey was interested in. There were four wooden game boards, each with colored slots at one end and a row of four blue racket balls at the other end.

"You need to roll three out of the four balls into one color to win a prize, except for red. You don't win anything for red," the man patiently informed them. "If you get three in green or yellow you win a large prize, and if three go in the blue slot you win a jumbo prize, which are all the ones on the back wall," he pointed.

"Can I get that big banana?" Kacey asked.

The man nodded. "If you get three balls in the blue slot, yes."

"Kacey, you do not need a stuffed banana," Emily groaned, trying to catch Derek's attention in the hopes he would deter their daughter. "We could probably buy you a dozen stuffed animals for what it will cost to win one of these."

Derek beckoned his wife forward. "Have you ever played games at a carnival before?" he asked her.

"No, my mother thought carnivals were a ridiculous waste of money."

He nodded, starting to see her aversion to the whole concept of attending a fair. "I want you and Kacey to play this game together," he insisted, paying for two people to play. Derek turned to the stroller and plucked Lulu out, holding her up so she could watch with him. "Let's cheer for mommy and Kacey."

"You go first, mommy," Kacey insisted.

Emily took one ball and lined it up in the middle of the board where she figured it would roll straight into the middle blue slot. She let it go and watched it roll to the left then bounce from one slot to another until it finally rolled into the red slot. "What, no," she complained. "This game is rigged isn't it?"

Morgan tried not to laugh at her. He'd played enough carnival games to know that there usually was a trick to them. "Just have fun, Em," he encouraged.

"Right, fun," she took a deep breath and moved her second ball farther to the right before letting go of it. It still rolled to the left but not as far, sliding perfectly into the green slot toward the middle. "Green is okay, green wins a large prize," she said to on one in particular. The third ball rolled directly into the same green slot and she grinned. "Aha," Emily said aloud, thinking she'd figured out the trick. She poised her last ball in the same spot and watched it roll. It didn't go straight into the green slot like the last two, but bounced around a few times and eventually landed in a yellow slot. "No!" she lamented.

Derek kissed her cheek. "Sorry, you were robbed," he commiserated.

She sighed in defeat, but started to help Kacey take her turn. "Here, what you need to do is place the ball off to the right so…"

"Mommy, I want to do it by myself," Kacey insisted, shooing her mother's hand away from the game board. She rolled the ball so it banked off one side and rolled all around the board until finally landing in the middle blue slot. "Yes!"

"Unbelievable," Emily shook her head.

Kacey rolled her second ball but it landed in a green slot. She didn't try to aim any of her balls and the last two landed in green as well. "Does that mean I won?"

"Yep," the man replied. "You win a large prize, which is any of the ones on this side wall," he pointed to a line of stuffed bears.

The seven-year-old pointed to a blue one with multi-colored polka dots all over it. "Can I have that one, please?" she asked politely. He handed her the toy and Kacey thanked him then held it out toward her mother. "Here, mommy, I want you to have it."

"No, Kace," Emily shook her head, even though she was touched by her daughter's generosity. "You should keep this one for yourself."

"But I want that big Zebra over there," Kacey pointed to the game stand across from where they were standing.

Emily held the blue bear against her chest as she looked to Derek for guidance. "Well, what do you think?" she asked him. "Should we try for the giant zebra? It is her birthday after all," she noted, finally getting into the spirit of the day.

Derek grinned, happy to hear her enthusiasm. He settled Lulu back into the stroller and wheeled it over to the baseball throwing game. Kacey stood beside the huge Zebra, which was as tall as she was and twice as wide. "Are you going to try this?" he asked the girl. "You _have_ been the big winner today."

She shrugged. "Okay." Kacey waited as Derek paid for the three balls and listened while he explained how she had to aim for the pyramid of three bottles and try to knock all of them down. Kacey aimed and threw the ball, but it didn't even make it all the way to the bottles at the back of the tent. She looked to Derek. "This one is too hard, daddy," she let him know. "Will you do it?"

He nodded. "Sure thing, kiddo," Derek took one of the last two balls and aimed. He threw and knocked the top bottle over, but the two bottom ones didn't even budge.

"Didn't you throw a ball on a football team or something like that?" Emily asked.

Morgan glared at her, not dignifying her question with a response. He took aim again with the last ball and managed to get two of the bottles over. "Dang it," he instantly told the man in charge of the game that he wanted another three balls. Derek threw all three, only managing to ever knock down two at a time. He repeated the process several more times to no avail.

"Okay, I think we indulged her long enough. Those bottles are obviously heavily weighted," Emily said. "Why don't we head home before we end up spending the girls' college funds on a zebra," she suggested, even though she knew Kacey had been left a small fortune for college by Lucas.

Derek had no intention of walking away, though. "It's not about money, Em. It's the principal of the thing," he told her, paying for another three balls.

"No, it's a macho thing," Emily whispered, standing by as he threw the next two and completely missed all the bottles.

"This is it," Derek looked down at Kacey who had her arms wrapped around the zebra as if she already owned it. "One more shot, kiddo, and then we go home, zebra or no zebra," he insisted.

Kacey nodded. "You can do it, daddy. I know you can," she encouraged.

The ball was held tightly in his right hand as he took aim. A deep breath escaped his lips and Derek let the ball fly. It sailed across the small expanse with great speed and hit dead center. The top bottle fell over instantly, and the bottom-left one tipped over too. The third bottle wobbled as Kacey and Derek both jumped up and down hoping it might help the item topple over. But it eventually settled back into position, standing firm.

Emily felt bad for the disappointed looks she saw on their faces. "Come on you two, we have chocolate cake at home," she hoped to cheer them with that prospect.

Derek scooped up Kacey. "Maybe we can try again next year on your birthday," he offered. She nodded and snuggled against his chest.

"Hey, wait a second!" the game controller called after them. They turned back and the man was smiling as he held one softball out toward Derek. "Since you played so many times, why don't you take one more shot," he offered.

Morgan smiled his thanks for the man's kindness and took the ball with his right hand. Kacey stayed clasped to his hip by his left arm. She kissed his cheek. "It's okay if you miss, daddy," she told him. "I'll still love you."

He took aim and threw, causing all three bottles to topple over, making it look like the easiest feat in the world. Kacey erupted into cheerful praise and Emily joined her daughter, truly impressed by Derek's win. Even the guy manning the game clapped. "I assume you all want the zebra," he guessed.

Kacey's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"It's all yours," the man waved his hand at the stuffed animal, indicating that they could cart it off.

"Thank you so much for this," Emily thanked the man. She watched Derek set Kacey down on her feet. The girl tried to lift the zebra, but her little arms were not able to budge the large item. Even Morgan had some trouble as he picked up the cumbersome animal and tried to hold it under his arm. "We're going home now, right?" Emily finally asked, pushing the stroller along with Kacey at her other side holding her hand.

"Yep, just as soon as I find some rope to strap this thing to the top of the SUV," Derek chuckled.

xxx

Hours later, after presents and cake and singing, Kacey was nestled in her bed. She'd had more of a sugar crash than being hyped up on it. Ginger lay sprawled at the foot of the bed and the giant zebra took up one whole corner of her room. Derek and Emily both came to tuck her in, each sitting on one side of her bed. "Did you have a good birthday, Kace?" Emily asked her daughter.

The girl nodded. "It was the best birthday."

"Because you got to spend all day at the fair and I won you a giant stuffed animal?" Derek prodded.

Kacey shook her head. "All of that was good, but it would have been good even if we'd stayed home all day," she told them. "Because it was my first birthday with mommy and you and Lulu, and I want to spend every birthday from now on with the three of you."

Emily grinned. "You might feel differently about that when you're grown and married, or have kids of your own."

"Well, I'll still want you and daddy and Lulu there with me," Kacey insisted.

"Then we will be," Derek promised, leaning in to kiss her goodnight.

"Sweet dreams, baby," Emily kissed her too.

They each gave Ginger a goodnight pat before exiting Kacey's room and closing the door. Derek took Emily's hand as they walked down the hall to their bedroom. She checked on Lulu who was curled up in the bassinet by their bed. The baby still woke up in the middle of the night and Emily liked to have her close for breast feeding. Since she'd returned to work a week and a half ago, those night sessions were some of the only quality time she got to share with her littlest girl.

Derek drew her away from the baby and guided her to their bed where they laid down beside one another. "You know, there's one booth at the fair that I never got to visit," he whispered, running his fingertips along her cheek.

"Oh, yeah?" her breath hitched even after all the times they'd been intimate. "What booth is that?"

"The kissing booth," he replied, leaning in to capture her lips.

She closed her eyes, kissing him back, but mostly allowing herself to get caught up in his wandering hands. Emily chuckled softly as they briefly parted. Her left leg swung over, straddling his waist as she sat on his thighs. "I don't think they've had kissing booths at carnivals since the 1950s," she said, leaning down to kiss him again, her hair falling across his face. "But I do like this private kissing booth you've set up. I think I might take advantage of it."

"Please do," he insisted.

* * *

**End**


	40. Convenience

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Convenience**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

He tried to catch his breath as he draped an arm across her bare stomach and pressed his lips to her shoulder. Morgan could feel her heartbeat reverberating through her belly. Their bodies were both warm and sweat soaked from the sensual activities they'd partaken in moments ago. "That was…" Derek closed his eyes, rolling his forehead along her shoulder. "That was really…"

"Cat got your tongue, Morgan?" she teased, listening as he twice tried to put words to what they'd just done. It was something they'd been doing for nearly six months, a line they'd crossed over from mere friendship into something more. Though they'd never really voiced what more it was, exactly. Emily tried not to think too seriously about it, because she didn't want to pressure him. And she didn't want to mess up the one good thing she'd had in a very long time. She grinned as he kissed her on the lips. "I'm hoping the word you were looking for just now was, good?"

"No," Derek responded with a slight shake of his head, still breathing a bit raggedly. "_Great_ is the word I was looking for," he closed his eyes again as he stilled his head upon her shoulder. "I think you wore me out," he concluded.

Emily chuckled softly. "Really? That's too bad, because I was hoping for another round."

"Damn, woman," he sucked in a breath, woozy from the sweet smell of her skin. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were out to kill me," Morgan exhaled.

She smiled and laid there for nearly a half hour listening as his breathing evened out and enjoying the sensation of his warm breath against her neck. Emily almost drifted off to sleep feeling safe and cozy wrapped in his strong embrace. But her earlier thoughts about not wanting to ruin the good thing they had going led her to make a move to get up. "I should probably be going," she announced.

Morgan reached out and pulled her closer, pressing his body against hers. "Why do you always go?" he asked. "You don't have to go," Derek let her know. He turned his head a little and nibbled on her earlobe. His hands caressed her shoulder, moving down her arm and then her side. The fingers of his right hand splayed over her belly again as a serious look darkened his eyes. "I'd like you to stay the whole night, if you want."

"Are you sure?" she was a little reluctant at first, but grew stronger seeing that he was very serious about her staying put. Emily finally gained the courage to address the matter outright. "We've never talked about what this is," she waved a hand between them. "What we're doing."

Derek took a deep breath, propping himself up on one elbow to look her in the eye. "This isn't just a convenience thing for me, Emily." He brushed her hair back from her face with his fingers, tucking it behind her ear.

"What do you mean?" her brows furrowed a little.

His fingers moved down the side of her face, running along her jaw line. Derek's eyes softened, still not quite believing that a woman like Emily Prentiss would consider even a single romp with him. "It's just that we spend a lot of time together because of the work we do, traveling with the team and all that. I didn't want you to think I was with you because it was convenient," he tried to explain.

"I've never thought that," Emily honestly relied. "But I'm glad to know that's not how you feel. Although, if we didn't work together, we might not have ever met," she pointed out. "But, staying the whole night… that's pretty serious territory and I don't want to..."

"I love you," he blurted out the words with very little thought.

Emily was surprised, but she spoke from her heart as well. "I love you too."

Derek was pretty sure he'd never been more nervous in his life. "That's the first time we've said those words to each other."

She nodded. "I've felt it for a long time, but I guess I just thought it would be best to keep things… I don't know, not so serious. I mean, the job takes so much out of us and I thought maybe this was just a bit of fun. I hoped it was more, but…" Emily sighed. "I sound like an idiot and I'm going to shut up now."

"You don't sound like an idiot, Emily. You sound honest," he molded his body to hers again. "And I can honestly tell you now that I've wanted to say those words for a long time, too, but I was just scared. The job has always held me back from a more serious relationship; because I'm afraid I can't give enough to a woman and do the job. But maybe since we both know what the job entails we could make this work," Derek sighed. "All I can say for certain at this very moment is that I finally realized if anything ever happened to me on the job or otherwise, I want you to know how I feel."

Her heart beat a little faster from a combination of worry and love. "I suddenly don't like this conversation very much," Emily informed him.

"I don't either," he replied. "At least not the part about leaving you," his forehead rested against hers. "Which I hope never happens. But if it did, for any reason, I want you to know how much I love you."

"I know," Emily smiled, surprised but pleased by the sudden shift in their relationship. "I think I've always known."

Morgan kissed her again and wrapped her up tighter in his arms. "So, no more leaving my bed after we make love, right?"

"Never again," she happily agreed.

* * *

**End**


	41. Draw

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Draw**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Peter came dashing into the living room where his parents were curled up on the sofa watching a football game. "Mommy!" the five year old exclaimed, waving a piece of paper in one hand as he collided with the sofa. "I made a drawing for you," he handed over the artwork.

Emily smiled, taking the paper. She stared down at it for a long time, her smile slipping away as she showed it to her husband. They exchanged a look of confusion, neither one of them knowing what to say. "Um, what is it, sweetie?" she finally asked.

"It's a polar bear," Peter declared, as if that fact should have been completely obvious.

"A polar bear," Emily nodded, biting her lip. "Of course it is, buddy. I knew that," she responded.

"I'm going to go draw you another animal!" the boy shouted as he took off.

Derek and Emily were finally able to let their laughter fly when their son was out of sight. "A polar bear?" Emily recovered long enough to speak. "I'm sorry, but it looks more like a peanut with legs," she dissolved into laughter again.

"Okay, so he's probably not going to be an artist when he grows up," Derek noted.

"Probably not?" Emily scoffed at her husband's casual response to the matter. "I think we need to seriously invest in math camps or extra history lessons, or science or… anything but art classes," she shook her head staring down at the sad little drawing her son had created.

Morgan noticed the look in her eyes and kissed her cheek. "But you're still going to hang it on the fridge, right?"

"You better believe it," she nodded.

* * *

**End**


	42. Drive

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Drive**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily massaged her left shoulder as she stared at the vast expanse of trees. The tall evergreens towered over them, lining the narrow road that had probably been cut through the forest years ago. She could barely tell that the sun had dipped lower in the sky, except for a few stray orange tendrils of light making their way through the thick grove. Emily glanced at her watch to realize the sun would be down within a few hours, which worried her as she turned to the driver of the SUV.

"I really think you took a wrong turn," she voiced her opinion on the matter for the third time, hoping to finally break through his thick skull.

Derek rolled his eyes. "That's not helping," his voice came out forced, but he was trying to remain civil. "If you'd really like to do something constructive you could figure out where we are on that map," he pointed toward the folded item on the dashboard.

She didn't care much for his dismissive attitude. "I'm not the one who wanted to spend three days in the wilderness without electronic devices, including cell phones and GPS," Emily reminded him as she stayed reclined in her seat, not reaching for the map. "And I've already looked at that map a dozen times. The 500 acre forest we're currently driving through only shows up as half an inch by half an inch on that thing, so it's really not much help. And someone told the ranger at the park entry that he didn't need a park map. Oh, no, I'm Derek Morgan… me build fire and conk woman over the head, carry back to cave."

"I am not like that at all," he protested, not amused by her caveman insinuations. "I'm sure it's just a little ways further down this road. If you could be patient for more than three seconds I'll show you that," he said, hands firmly on the wheel as they bumped along.

Her lips sported a frown. Emily would have been happy to keep her mouth shut if they weren't facing the very real danger of ending up stuck in the woods in the dark before finding their campground. "I think you made your first mistake by turning onto that dirt road about an hour ago," she commented.

"Emily," he waved a hand at the windshield to indicate the landscape in front of them. "They're all dirt roads out here."

"I meant the second one, when you turned right at the end of that white fence," she attempted to clarify.

Morgan sighed. "You mean when we turned west?"

"If that was when we turned at the white fence then yes," she agreed.

He groaned. "See, this is the biggest problem with women and directions," Derek started in. "Women tell you something by way of landmark, usually within proximity of the nearest shoe store. While guys, on the other hand, give directions based on actual positioning; north, south, east and west."

She shrugged, unimpressed. "And your point is?"

"My point is that directions should be based on geographical positioning," he gestured with his fingers to indicate the directions as he called them out again. "East, west, north, south… longitude and latitude. A shoe store can go out of business or the building can be knocked down, but the directions two miles east and one mile south are never going to fail you," he concluded.

"Right…" Emily drew the word out. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but that longitude and latitude thing isn't really helping you at the moment. But I know for a fact that we should have turned left at the end of the white fence and not right."

Derek slammed his hands against the steering wheel as he pushed down on the brakes and turned to look at her. "Do you wanna drive?"

"Yes, actually," she nodded. "I would've had us there by now."

"Fine," Derek put the SUV in park, unclipped his belt and threw the driver's side door open. He got out and pointed to the empty seat. "Here you go," he offered.

Emily gulped, nervous that she'd pushed him a little too far. Their relationship beyond the BAU was still rather new, and slightly uncertain territory, but she didn't think he'd actually do her any physical harm. She undid her seatbelt and climbed over into the driver's seat. "Thank you," Emily said, looking at him as he remained standing there beside her with the door open. "Are you going to get back in before I take off?"

With a final sigh, Derek closed the door and walked over to the passenger's side. He climbed in and sunk into the seat she'd recently vacated. Emily waited for him to buckle up and then she pulled a very sharp U-turn and headed back the way they'd just traveled. The trees all looked the same except they were growing slightly darker as the sun continued to creep toward the horizon. It took forty-five minutes before she spotted the white fence and turned the opposite direction Derek had taken earlier. Emily glanced over at her passenger who hadn't said a single word since she'd taken over. He sat with his eyes aimed forward, barely blinking.

She couldn't handle the silence any longer. "Come on, Derek. You're not going to be like that, are you?" she asked.

"Like what?"

"One of those guys who gets all bent out of shape if a girl does something better than he does," Emily watched as he turned his head a little to look her way. His face was unreadable, though. "If I get us there are you going to brood all weekend?"

"You haven't gotten us there yet," he maintained an element of aloofness.

Not for the first time Emily pondered the reason why she'd decided to finally give in to her feelings for the man she'd worked with for nearly five years. In so many ways he was nothing like the kind of guy she'd always imagined settling down with. He was big, tough and even gruff sometimes. And he always had to have his feet in the fire when it came to their job. He risked a lot, which worried her a lot. And yet, he was also one of the kindest guys she'd ever known. He could be the gentlest giant while dealing with kids and even a bit of a nerd at times. She even found his stubborn persistence to be a good quality, at least when it wasn't aimed at her.

About twenty minutes down the dirt road she'd taken, Emily spotted the sign for their campground. She pulled through the gate without saying a word and drove around the short loop. There weren't many people camped, but it was only a Thursday night. There'd probably be more folks rolling in tomorrow. "Looks like we have our pick," she finally said. "Which one do you like?"

Derek examined the sites as she drove slowly. "That one," he said. "I like all the trees."

Emily grinned, trying to resist the urge to point out that there were trees all around them. She pulled up a little ways and backed into the space then they jumped out to inspect the site closer up. "Ground looks flat, good for the tent," she said, still avoiding the topic of how she'd gotten them there after all.

"Good, I'll pitch the tent," he declared, moving toward the back of the SUV. "And you can start on dinner."

She laughed at his words. "Seriously?" Emily stood with her hands on her hips. "You did not just demand that I cook your dinner while you get the manly chore of building our shelter, which oddly enough is shaped a lot like a cave."

He threw his hands up in exasperation. "Can I not do anything right here?" Derek asked. "If you want to put the tent up, be my guest. And I'll make dinner."

"Hey," she stopped him, grabbing his arm before he could storm off. Emily took both his hands and tried to make eye contact with him. "I'm sorry, okay? Maybe I went a little overboard with the caveman comments. I apologize for that. But I thought the whole point of this trip was to spend some quality time together, which is why I was going to suggest that we both put the tent up, _together_. And then be both make dinner, _together_."

Morgan let go a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her waist. He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry, too. You were just trying to help find the campsite and I got a little defensive," he finally admitted. "So, how about we forget all about the drive up here and enjoy the rest of this weekend, _together_?"

"I'd like that," Emily agreed, sealing their deal with a kiss.

* * *

**End**


	43. Sing

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Sing**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Morgan's flashlight created a small puddle of illumination to follow as he returned to the campsite after a trip to the restroom. But Derek soon started following the soft strains of music he heard coming from their campsite, rather than the light. He approached slowly and turned the flashlight off, able to see enough from the glow of their campfire. Morgan stopped by a tall fir tree to listen to Emily's singing, which surprised him.

"_Way up in the sky the big birdies fly, while down in the nest the little birds rest…_" Emily trailed off, looking up to see that she had an audience. A nervous look clouded her eyes as she spotted him. "Sorry, I spent a lot of summers at camp and it was tradition to have a big bonfire every night with lots of singing. My singing was usually better when I had a whole group around me to drown out my voice, kind of how I turn the radio up in the car really loud so I sound like a great singer."

Derek smiled at her awkward explanation, easily picking up that she was self conscious about her singing. "I kind of thought it sounded sweet," he told her, walking further into the campsite and settling down on the log beside her. He kissed her cheek and wrapped his arms around her, huddling up to keep warm.

"Sweet?" Emily questioned the term, uncertain how to take the comment.

He nodded. "Yeah, sweet," Derek whispered in her ear. "I can barely carry a tune to save my life."

"You can't be that bad," she relaxed into his embrace a little, feeling better about their conversation because she knew he wasn't the sort to give compliments that weren't warranted. "We should sing something together," Emily suggested.

"No way," he shook his head. "I don't even sing in the shower. And I don't know any camp songs."

She smiled to know that the man of steel was embarrassed about something. "Didn't you ever go to camp in the summer?"

"Nope," he replied. "The only kind of summer camp we could afford was laying sleeping bags out on the fire escape and listening to the wilds of south Chicago," Derek relayed. "Who needs the hoot of an owl or the chirp of a cricket when you've got a symphony of police and ambulance sirens?" he joked.

Emily chuckled softly at his comment, realizing once again how different their childhoods had been. "Well, my parents sent me to summer camp every year from age eight to fourteen. I think it was mostly so they didn't have to deal with me during the break," she tried not to dwell on that fact for too long. "It wasn't so bad. I got to swim and do lots of arts and crafts, and get made fun of by all the popular girls."

He nuzzled her neck. "I'm sure they were stupid girls who didn't deserve a friend like you," Derek insisted.

"You're very sweet," Emily acknowledged, thankful of his kind words. "And I like how you've expertly avoided the part about us singing together," she noted, watching him grin in a guilty manner. "Surely you know one of the most famous campfire songs ever, Kumbaya?"

Morgan nodded. "Actually, I do know that song, but did you know that it was originally an African American spiritual song? My grandmother used to have my sisters and I sing it with her all the time. Grandma was real good to mama, especially after daddy died. She looked after us kids a lot when mama went back to work."

"I'll probably sound horrible compared to your grandmother, but I think we should sing a few rounds," Emily suggested, not afraid to resort to eyelash batting and downright begging. "Please, it will be fun," she encouraged.

He indulged her with a nod and they had a bit of trouble starting out, but soon fell into a decent enough rhythm by the time they got to the last verse. "_Someone's singing, Lord, kumbaya… someone's singing, Lord, kumbaya… someone's singing, Lord, kumbaya… oh, Lord, kumbaya_."

They sat quietly for a few minutes, watching the flames and listening to the crackling sounds as the fire burned down. The small bit of heat it was producing didn't do much to take the chill out of the early spring night. "I think we should take this show on the road," Emily suggested.

"Yeah," he scoffed. "Like all those dirt roads I found while getting us lost out here."

She laughed, glad that he was in a good enough mood to joke about their earlier debacle. "No," Emily whispered. "I was thinking more along the lines of retreating to our tent and snuggling up in our sleeping bags while I sing you a goodnight song."

Derek's arms squeezed her waist a little tighter. "I really hope, in this instance, the term goodnight song is a code phrase for jumping my bones."

Emily rolled her eyes. "That's a bit crude, but… maybe," she taunted.

Morgan quickly made sure the fire was sufficiently put out while Emily rounded up any items that might be tempting to bears and other woodland creatures. Then they retreated to their rather cozy tent. The inflatable mattress had been made up like a real bed with one sleeping bag laid out underneath and one to cover them. Emily had even brought pillows along and they snuggled up together, still clad in sweats and long-sleeved shirts.

"Not exactly the body heat I was hoping for," Derek whispered as she laid her head against his shoulder.

"I believe I only promised a song," Emily teasingly reminded him as she began to sing a silly tune. "_I walked up the door and I opened the stairs, said my pajamas and I put on my prayers._" She closed her eyes as his hands explored the territory beneath her layers of warm clothing. But despite his best efforts to distract her, Emily managed to squeeze out the last of the ridiculous lyrics to the backward camp song she'd learned as a girl. "_Turned off the bed and jumped into the light, all because he kissed me, never could resist me… all because he kissed me goodnight_," she finished, opening her eyes again.

Derek maneuvered himself so that he was poised above her, every bit of his body blanketing hers and their foreheads touching. "Is it wrong that I find this camp-girl side of you totally sexy?" he asked, pressing a somewhat caste kiss against her lips. It quickly flowed into a deeper, needy kiss. And it wasn't long before their clothing was shed and body heat really was all they needed to stay warm in the chilly night.

* * *

**End**


	44. Stick

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Stick**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

He positioned his body behind hers, arms wrapping around to her front as he helped her hold the item steady in her hands. "Okay, you want to be sure to grasp the stick with a firm hold, but not too constrictive," Derek explained.

"Stick?" Emily arched her brows at the term. "Isn't it called something else? Something more technical or…"

"That's really not important," he shook his head, trying to get her focused on the task. "Now, what you want to do is hit the balls as hard as you can."

Her cheeks flushed. "You really want me to hit the balls? Hard?"

"Em, you act like you've never done this before," Morgan again tried to keep her on point.

"Maybe I never have," she replied with a gentle shrug of her shoulders.

That certainly surprised him. For someone so worldly, Derek figured she'd tried just about everything in her lifetime. "Really? You've never done this before?"

"Nope," Emily affirmed. "So, are you going to teach me, master?"

"All right," he grinned, getting back into position with both their hands wrapped firmly around the stick. Derek carefully helped her guide the stick and then gave it a healthy jerk forward. They stood back and watched as the white cue ball careened into the other pool balls and they all scattered across the table. One solid colored ball dropped into the left corner pocket and they both cheered.

Emily turned to face him with a pleased grin perched upon her lips as she caressed the pool stick. "I believe it's also called a cue," she said with a wink.

Derek knew then that he'd been duped by her claim of never having played the game before.

* * *

**End**


	45. Taste

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Taste**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

They were mostly alone in the small cake shop, aside from the female baker who stood behind the counter. She'd brought them three different cakes to try. Derek took a bite of the first and shrugged indifferently. He tasted the second one and nodded his approval. But it was the third one that he gave his biggest thumbs up to. "I say we definitely go with the white one. Cream filling is good and white cake is universal," he expressed his opinion.

Emily was barely listening to what he had to say as she took another bite of the first cake, and then a third bite, savoring the rich chocolaty taste sensation on her tongue. "I really like the chocolate one," Emily disagreed with his choice.

"But white is safer," he countered. "Everyone likes white, right?"

"Why do we need to play it safe?" she asked, wrinkling her nose at his comments. "It's _our_ wedding and I say we should have it the way we want." Emily took a quick breath before continuing her thought process. "I've already got my mother dictating where we're going to have the reception and what shade of turquoise the bridesmaid dresses should be, and what time everything will happen down to a gnat's ass."

He smiled sympathetically. "Well, maybe you should have gone along with my eloping suggestion."

"That's really not helping," she dismissed the idea again. "My mother would kill me, and even as understanding as your mother is, she'd kill you too," Emily pointed out, watching as he nodded in agreement. "So, I figure there's only one thing I'm going to have my way in this wedding and it's going to be the cake. I'm seriously going to need chocolate cake when all is said and done," she insisted.

"So, what do I get out of all this wedding mumbo-jumbo?" Morgan asked.

Her lips curled into an overly sweet smile. "Me," she grinned. Emily then dug through her purse and removed a small velvet bag. "We're also putting these on top of our cake," she announced, withdrawing a bride and groom Pez dispenser set and placing them on the table in front of her fiancé.

Derek gingerly picked up the groom and did his best not to laugh outright. "Okay, Em, I knew you had some nerdy tendencies, but I never imagined quite _this_ extent of geekdom," he finally let out a small chuckle as he continued to examine the plastic statue. Even more amusing to him was the fact that she'd been carrying them around with her, in a velvet bag no less.

"Geekdom is not a word," she protested. "And they're cute."

"Yeah, cute…" he drew out the last word with more than a hint of sarcasm. "Em, I know this is supposed to be an African American groom, but he still looks like a little white guy with painted skin," Derek voiced his opinion.

Emily shrugged. "You're part white guy," she pointed out.

"True enough," he smiled at her honesty, glad that neither of them was afraid to speak of their ethnic differences. Derek sighed in resignation. "Okay, the groom I can probably deal with," he reached out to pick up the bride. "But yours has bright orange hair," Morgan noticed.

"Well, these were the only two I could find," Emily replied. "The bride and groom Pez dispensers happen to be a rather rare collectible. And…" she smiled a bit mischievously at him. "I still have plenty of time to dye my hair before the wedding."

His head shook emphatically. "Oh, no you don't. I've already got one red-head in my life, and that's plenty."

"Ah," she nodded in mock-understanding. "I think I'm starting to get a better idea about what your hesitation is. You like the women in your harem to have different colored hair. I guess I can understand that reasoning, because it will certainly make it easier for you to tell us apart," Emily teased.

"You are impossible," Morgan took her left hand in his and kissed her ring finger where the diamond engagement band rested.

"Which is why you love me," she shot back.

Morgan grinned, wondering why he'd waited so long to make her an official part of his life. "Hardly," he responded. "I can think of a few other things I love about you even more than your goofy, geeky sides," his voice was low and seductive as his eyes blatantly roamed the curves of her body.

"So, you just love me for my physical attributes?" Emily asked in a serious tone.

"Stop putting words in my mouth, woman," his eyes leveled off with hers. "I happen to love your mind, your generosity, and your kind heart," Derek let her know.

Emily formed a fake pout. "Then you don't find me attractive?"

"I can't win with you today, can I?" he chuckled, also loving the way she bantered with him.

"How about we settle on a compromise," she proposed, letting her fork break off a piece of the third cake sample. Emily held it up and across the table as she fed the bite to him. She couldn't wait for the day when they performed the same ritual as man and wife in front of their friends and family. "We'll go with your plain, boring, _safe_, white cake. But I get to put my bride and groom Pez dispensers on the top."

He slowly chewed the cream-filled cake and smiled as he swallowed. "I think I can do you one better. How about we have two white layers and a middle chocolate layer. And you can still put your silly Pez thingies on top of the cake," he suggested.

"I knew there was a reason why I loved you so much," she leaned forward to kiss a small bit of frosting off his lips.

* * *

**End**


	46. Pink

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Pink**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek made his way through the bullpen headed toward his wife's desk. Lulu was strapped in the baby carrier secured around his back and shoulders. She was zonked out, pressed up close to his chest, her little dark head of hair adorned with a stretchy fuchsia headband complete with pink flower on top. Her arms and legs hung out the sides of the Snugli pack, revealing bits of her frilly pink sundress. Even the carrier was a shade of light pink with a darker pink flower pattern, but Derek held his head high as he quickly realized Emily's desk was unoccupied.

"Where's Emily?" he asked Reid, who still had a desk beside hers. "It's my day off and Kacey is spending time with her grandma Liz, so I thought Lu… uh, Lulu and I could take Emily to lunch. Or at least treat her to something eatable in the cafeteria."

The younger man glanced up briefly as Derek spoke. "She's in with Hotch and Rossi going over details on the Madison case," Reid was about to return his attention to the task in front of him when his head shot back up. He quickly digested the uncharacteristic image of his former co-worker, trying hard not to smile.

Morgan noticed his friend's barely restrained look. "Spit it out, man."

"I'm sorry," Spencer finally cracked a smile. "It's just… there's a lot of pink on you. I didn't even know they made those thingies in pink," he waved his hand at the carrier Morgan was wearing. "And what's with the correction of Lu to Lulu?"

A sound somewhere between a groan and a sigh escaped Derek's mouth as he looked down at his baby girl. Whatever the sound resembled most it was, indeed, annoyed. "Emily went out over the weekend and bought every pink baby thing she could find, from car seat and stroller to a whole new wardrobe," he answered, gesturing at the baby's dress. "And she's suddenly obsessed with making sure we call her Lulu, not Lu."

"That doesn't really seem like something she'd do," Reid was confused.

"It's not," Morgan agreed. "But apparently after a woman's baby girl is mistake for a boy several times, she becomes a bit defensive," he revealed.

Reid nodded with newfound understanding. "I see."

Hearing the other profiler voice his opinion made Derek realize how ridiculous it was that Emily was freaking out about Lulu's attire and baby paraphernalia. He'd tried to talk to her about it, but she'd quickly dismissed his concern. Now he had a plan for a different sort of confrontation. "Hey, Reid…" Derek glanced up at Hotch's office and saw that the blinds were closed, his idea begging to slowly take hold. "Do you want to help me play a small trick on Emily?"

The genius was a little bit uneasy about the question. "I don't know, Emily's liable to hurt me," he noted. "But, just out of curiosity…"

xxx

Emily made her way down the short flight of stairs from Hotch's office into the bullpen. She dropped a stack of folders on her desk and let out a sigh, rolling her shoulders and stretching her sore neck after sitting in her boss's office for over two hours. Glancing at the clock on her computer monitor, Emily decided to head off in search of some lunch. She exited the bullpen and crossed to the elevator. Her finger had barely pressed the down arrow when she noticed something out of the corner of one eye. Emily glanced over to see Reid holding something and talking to a young red-headed female agent who she'd met once before.

Deciding to investigate, and possibly tease her colleague about his interactions with the woman, Emily made a change of course in her destination. But as she approached them Emily's eyes opened wide, finally realizing what he was holding. "Reid, what the…"

"Agent Prentiss, it's so nice to see you again," the woman greeted her with a cheery disposition. "You know, I could have sworn I heard that you had a baby girl, but little Lu here is such a sweet boy," the red-head cooed as she stared down at the baby in Reid's arms. "He's just adorable."

Nostrils flared, Emily glared at Reid and took a closer look at her daughter. Lulu had been stripped down to her white cotton onesie. No pink sundress, no pink flowery bow in her hair; nothing of what she'd dressed the baby in earlier that morning. "_She_ is not a boy," Emily remarked sharply as she proceeded to take the baby from Spencer's arms. "_Her_ name is Lulu and where… what happened to her dress and the bow?" she aimed her fierce look at Reid again. "And where the heck is my husband who was meant to be watching her today?"

Soft laughter floated over to them from where Derek was standing by the elevator, leaning against the wall with his arms folded across his chest and a grin perched upon his lips that beamed a mile wide. "I think I should probably be going," the red-head said, not sure what was going on. She quickly fled the scene.

"You think this is funny do you?" Emily spun around to face Derek. "Do you like sleeping on the sofa?"

"Come on, Em," he remained in his casual stance, smiling at her. "It was just a joke."

She nodded slowly. "Well, you're not going to be laughing when I pummel you in a few seconds."

"Not with Lulu in your arms," Derek cockily responded.

Emily pulled on a confident grin to match Derek's then she quickly handed Lulu back to Reid. "There's no baby now, so I suggest you start running," she warned.

Derek's smile faltered slightly. He pulled away from the wall where he'd been propped and held his hands up in an attempt to placate her. "Emily, I just wanted to show you how silly it is to freak out about this girl thing. We both know she's a girl and some day her hair is going to grow and she'll start looking more like her beautiful mommy, and everyone will say what a sweet little girl we have."

"Maybe so, but complimenting me now isn't going to stop you from getting your butt kicked," Emily replied, taking a stealthy step toward him. "Again, I suggest you start running, Morgan."

"I don't think _she's_ joking," Reid added.

Morgan gulped as his wife kept creeping closer and closer. "Em, seriously… it was just a…"

He didn't get a change to say the word joke again before taking off at a swift jog down the hall. Reid watched Emily chase Derek down the corridor, each of them dodging a few other people along the way. When they disappeared from his site, Reid looked down at the baby in his arms. She was wide awake and smiling, gnawing on her right hand, seemingly oblivious to what was going on around her. "Don't worry, Lu, I'm sure your mommy won't hurt your daddy. At least not too badly," he amended. "And any time you need to escape their craziness you can come stay with your Uncle Spencer," he promised the girl.

* * *

**End**


	47. Truth

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Truth**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily bit her bottom lip as she listened to the voice on the other end of her cell phone. It had been a rather boring Friday morning until the call. "Yes, I understand Mr. Walsh. Thank you for calling. I'll be right there," she assured the man before hanging up and turning toward the co-worker who sat across from her. "Is it bad when the principal calls you in to talk about a disciplinary action in regards to your seven-year-old child? I mean, he wasn't specific, but he also didn't sound very thrilled."

Reid was surprised. "Kacey got into some sort of trouble?"

"I think so, maybe," she sighed, pushing away from her desk and getting to her feet. Glancing up at her boss's office, she saw the man seated behind his desk. "Can you cover for me if Hotch asks where I am?"

"Sure," Reid's words were accompanied by a small nod. "I'm sure it's nothing bad," he tried to reassure his friend as she prepared to leave.

She smiled her thanks for his supportive comment then grabbed her purse and took off in a hurry. The drive all the way to Kacey's school was rather excruciating as Emily tossed around all the possible things her seven-year-old daughter could have done to get into trouble; talking out of turn, being disrespectful to her teacher or other students, fighting, yelling, swearing. None of the scenarios in her head seemed very likely, though. Kacey loved school; she got glowing comments on her progress reports and had never had any trouble with her teacher or the other kids in class.

There was still no conclusive answer in her mind as to what the problem might be when Emily announced herself to the woman at the reception desk. She proceeded to the principal's office, which was, unfortunately, a place she'd visited a few times during the course of her school years. Emily sincerely hoped her daughter would not follow in her footsteps in a lot of ways. Once inside the office, the middle-aged principal of Kacey's school gave her a very vague summary of the situation and then told her that Kacey was dismissed for the weekend.

The drive home was deathly silent as Kacey sat in her booster seat in the back of the vehicle and refused to say a single word to her mother. Emily was concerned, but still tried to engage the girl a few times. "Is this about what happened when I shot Morris?" she asked the girl, hating to revisit that topic, but finding it necessary. "Mr. Walsh said you were talking about things you shouldn't be, but I thought we already discussed that mommy hurting that man was a private issue for just you and I and daddy to talk about."

Still there was no answer from the child, and Emily decided to give up until they got home. But as soon as the front door opened, Kacey bolted for the stairs. Emily let her be and went to check on Lulu and Molly. A half hour after returning home she finally called Hotch. "I'm really sorry I just took off like that, but I thought it would be a quick thing," she tried to explain to her boss.

"_And I take it that's not the case_?" Hotch asked.

"No, Kacey was sent home for the rest of the day and I feel like I should stay here and deal with her. I'm going to see if I can get a hold of Derek so we can both sit down with her and have a talk," she relayed.

"_Good, take the rest of the day and hopefully we won't have to see each other again until Monday morning's briefing_."

Emily sighed with relief. "Thank you," she signed off and immediately hit Derek's speed dial number. "Please pick up, please pick up…"

"_Em?_" Derek's voice came over the line.

Deciding not to waste time with hello or how are you; Emily dove right into the heart of what she needed from him. "I know this may be impossible, but is there any chance you can come home early today?" she asked.

There was no answer for a moment. "_Uh, we really need to keep going over the research on this Denning St. bomber. Probably the earliest I could get away is three hours, maybe two_," he let her know in an apologetic tone. "_What's going on_?" Derek finally inquired.

"Kacey got kicked out of school."

"_What_?" his voice raised several octaves in surprise.

She realized her words hadn't been chosen very well. "Not for good, just for the rest of the day," Emily cleared up. "But I'm not sure why. Mr. Walsh said Kacey should be the one to talk to us about it, but she's not interested in talking and I could really use your support. Hotch told me I could stay home to deal with it and I gave Molly the rest of the day off, so please try to hurry," she implored.

"_I will, Em. Promise_," he replied. "_I gotta go now. I love you_."

"Love you, too," she ended the call.

xxx

Two hours after their phone call, nearly to the second, Morgan walked through the French doors that led outside to the stone patio in the backyard. He easily spotted Emily in the shallow end of the pool. The water was up to her waist and Lulu's toes were dipped in the pool as Emily held the three and a half month old baby to her chest. "Looks like a nice way to be enjoying this mid-September heat wave," he remarked, moving toward the pool and squatting down alongside it.

Emily smiled despite her older daughter's situation putting a damper on the day. She waded toward the side of the pool and greeted him with a quick kiss. "I'm glad you could get off early," she said.

He nodded, thinking it was nice to be home early, especially to start off a weekend, which he hoped would be work-free. Derek glanced around the quiet yard. "So, where is our seven-year-old jailbird? I thought this would all be resolved by now and she'd be doing cannonballs by the time I got home."

"No such luck," Emily handed him the baby and then went to the stairs to get out of the pool. They both moved to the lounge chairs and took seats, Emily with a towel wrapped around her waist and Derek with Lulu settled in his arms.

"Still won't talk, huh?" he finally asked.

Her head shook. "I tried to take her lunch and then a snack," Emily sighed. "Not a peep."

As if to defy her mother's words, Kacey crept toward them slowly and went to Derek. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hi, daddy."

"Guess that makes me the hard-nosed parent," Emily commented, feeling a little hurt by her daughter's easy interactions with Derek.

Morgan passed Lulu off to his wife and scooped Kacey up, plopping her down on his lap where the baby had just been. He turned to Emily and flashed a supportive smile her way, hoping to let her know she was far from being the hard-nosed parent in their group. His attention returned to Kacey. "What's up, kiddo?"

"I wanted to tell you and mommy what happened at the same time," the girl replied.

Derek's smile greeted his wife again. "That pragmatic part of her is all you."

Emily couldn't help feeling warmed by that sentiment. "So, Kace, tell us what happened," she further prompted her daughter.

"Well…" the child started off. "Jasper Collins said that his baby brother was delivered by a big bird called a stork. But I said babies come from a mommy's tummy. And he said they just grow inside the mommy's tummy and then the stork comes and lands on the mommy's tummy and magically takes the baby out and puts it in the mommy's arms. But I said he was wrong because I saw Lulu be born from where mommy goes potty."

"Oh, boy," Morgan instantly clammed up. "This one is all you, Em."

"Excuse me?" she didn't care much for his reactionary comment. "I thought we were both the parents in this family. You are not getting off that easily."

Kacey was somewhat confused about what her parents were talking about and tried to get a straight answer from them. "Jasper said that I was lying, but I said I wasn't. I told the truth, didn't I?"

"Yes, you did tell the truth, sweetheart," Emily agreed with the girl.

"So why did Mr. Walsh say I shouldn't have said those things? And why did I have to go home?" Kacey asked.

Emily sighed, thinking those were both very good questions. "You know what, daddy and I need to have a private talk for a few minutes, so why don't you go put your swimsuit on and then come out and enjoy your time off from school and the last bit of Indian summer we're having."

The girl was hesitant as she looked to her mother for further reassurance. "I'm not in trouble?"

"No," Emily replied.

When Kacey had dashed back into the house, Derek faced his wife with a questioning gaze. "That's it, she's not in trouble? She got sent home from school for obviously breaking a school rule. They don't want kids talking about private things and I think that's reasonable. We already told her not to talk about what happened with Morris in the church. And now you go and tell her that this is all okay, simple as that?"

She stared at him for a second, not liking that his words sounded a bit accusatory. "But she did tell the truth," Emily defended herself and Kacey.

"Yeah," he said with a slight nod. "But these are seven year old kids we're talking about, Em. They really don't need to know where babies come from yet."

"Why not?"

He stiffened at her challenge. "Because that's not a conversation I want to have with her until she's at least twenty."

"Derek, come on…" Emily eyed him, knowing he had his head buried in the sand. "My parents never talked to me about the birds and the bees, and I mean _never_," she reiterated the point. "Most of what I knew I learned from my friends, and I ended up pregnant when I was fifteen. I was scared to death to tell my mother so I didn't. I honestly don't want that kind of relationship with my girls. I certainly don't want them to get pregnant when they're fifteen, but I also don't want them to be so scared that they think they can't talk to me about it at all," she stated her opinion on the matter.

Morgan sighed in resignation, realizing she was right. He wanted to have that kind of open and honest communication with the girls too. There was just one problem for him. "So, how exactly do I talk to a girl about this sort of thing?"

She smiled. "We can do it together."

"And…" he hesitated a moment before continuing with his train of thought. "Do we tell her everything about sex right now? I mean, from the start when mommy and daddy make the baby?"

Emily nodded. "It seems to me that if she's talking about these things with her friends now, we should tell her everything. I keep forgetting how much she saw that day in the church when Lu was born, but she obviously already knows a lot."

"But wouldn't it just be easier to tell her to never have sex and be done with it?" Morgan sighed.

"Nice try," she shook her head. "Besides, sex isn't something we want her to be afraid of, is it? As long as we explain that it's best when practiced safely and done with someone you love, and preferably someone you're married to."

Derek chuckled as he reached out to take the baby back from her. He kissed Lulu's cheek and then held the girl up to Emily and made the baby wave. "We are not exactly the poster children for safe sex, or waiting until after marriage for sex," he reminded her.

"Hey, I was using birth control," she defended. "You were the one who wanted to risk not wearing a condom. Besides, isn't that the part of the conversation in which we tell Kacey to do as we say and not as we do?" Emily shrugged.

"You really are getting the hang of this mom thing," he teased. "When in doubt, always fall back on the do as I say method, or lie to their face," Derek grinned as he snuggled up with Lulu reclined in his arms. "So, what about the school?" he switched the topic slightly. "They must have some sort of policy about all of this. Do they even teach sex-education at some point? Or did we make a big mistake by sending her to a traditional catholic school?"

She shrugged again, not having many answers for him. "It's been a good school so far, I don't think we should dismiss it based solely on this incident. And maybe we should sit down with Principal Walsh and discuss the school policies," Emily suggested. "I'd even be willing to talk to Father Terrance about it. He's become a good confidant over the months since what happened with Morris."

He leaned over and kissed her, just a quick little peck on the lips. When he sat back again he was proud to have such an amazing wife. "I feel so grown up talking about all this with you, making decisions for our children's upbringing without arguing. It feels nice."

"It does feel nice. But you're avoiding the biggest issue of all here," she noted. "When do we sit Kacey down and talk about everything we just decided."

"Um," he cringed, remembering he'd agreed to that part of their conversation. "Maybe when she's eighteen?"

"Derek," she frowned at his response.

"What? At least I moved it down a few years from twenty," he shrugged.

That made Emily smile. "Perhaps you need to rehearse a little. Why don't you practice with Lulu, she's too little to understand what you're actually saying."

Morgan starred down at the baby. "What do you think about that, Lu? Should daddy explain the birds and the bees to you?" Lulu just smiled to hear him talking and reached for his lips. She playfully squeezed them together, seemingly fascinated by her ability to use her tiny fingers. "I'm pretty sure that means she wants me to keep my mouth shut," Derek managed to mumble through his partially closed lips.

"Okay," Emily gave in as she happily watched him interact with their baby girl. "We don't have to talk about it today. For now we'll just add Lulu's birth to the list of private things Kacey shouldn't discuss at school, and we'll wait until we chat with principal Walsh and Father Terrance before we dive into the deep end."

"Agreed," Derek nodded with relief, glad to put that difficult conversation off for at least a few more days, maybe even a few weeks if at all possible. He smiled at Lulu. "Can we keep this one little forever?" he asked.

Emily laughed, happy to have their earlier tensions relaxed. "Maybe we should wait until she's at least out of diapers before we cast our anti-aging spell on her," she suggested.

* * *

**End**


	48. Memorial

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Memorial**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily glanced at her watch and sighed as she took to the stairs two at a time. She stalked down the hall and flung her daughter's door open. "Kacey, you really need to get up now. We're going to be very late," she told the girl. "You already missed your bus and its Molly's day off, now I'm going to have to drive you to school and take Lulu to spend the day with grandma. And if we leave right now I might make my morning briefing." Emily stood in the doorway looking over at the unmoving lump on her daughter's bed. "Kace?"

Worry suddenly flooded her as she cut across the room and pulled back the girl's covers. Her heart beat a little more normally and her stomach settled again to see Kacey there in her pajamas, face down against the bed. She sat beside the girl and placed a hand against her back. "Baby, what's wrong? Do you feel sick?" she suddenly felt bad for her harsh words a few seconds ago.

Kacey finally flipped over to face her mother. Tears pooled in the corners of her eyes. "I wanna see daddy," she spoke in a tiny, broken voice.

"Sweetie," Emily cooed, not expecting tears. "Daddy had to go to work real early this morning. But he came in and kissed you goodbye while you were still sleeping."

"Not daddy," Kacey sniffed. "I mean… daddy."

Confusion caused Emily to stare silently at her daughter for several more moments, until finally she realized what the girl meant. Her heart broke as she suddenly remembered what day it was. "Oh, Kace," she lay down on the bed beside her little girl and snuggled up. Their foreheads were so close they nearly touched and Emily couldn't help recall those days when they'd been locked away in Morris's prison apartment almost a year ago. "I didn't think you'd remember what today was."

"I remember," the girl whispered. "I saw daddy in that kitchen and he was bleeding. Then the bad man took me away."

Some days even Emily forgot what had happened that day, but it all came flooding back to her as she listened to Kacey's words. "Your daddy died trying to save you. He was a hero," she recalled Derek once telling her that his father had died a hero too, but that didn't always make a difference when a child was grieving. An idea struck her as she laid there with Kacey. "We didn't get to be at your daddy's funeral, and we can't just fly to St. Louis anytime you want to be closer to him," Emily explained with regret. "But maybe we could have a memorial for him here," she suggested.

"What's a memorial?" Kacey asked.

"Uh, well… it can be anything we want," Emily replied, further details falling into place. She sat up as her mind started to whir with ideas, then she got up and moved to Kacey's closet. Emily found a shoebox with a pair of fancy dress shoes in it. She removed them and placed them on the floor of her daughter's closet then she went back to the bed and presented the box to Kacey. "I want you to fill this with whatever you want, things that remind you of your dad, or pictures, or a drawing you'd like him to see. And then we'll put it somewhere so you can always go to it and remember him."

"Can I paint him another ladybug rock to put in it?" Kacey asked as she sat up and took the box from her mother, some of her tears dissipating.

"Yep, anything you want," Emily agreed.

Kacey smiled softly thinking about what she'd put in the box. "Can I still go to school today?"

Emily nodded, running her hand over the girl's dark hair. Some days she longed for the ability to get over things as easily as her little girl did. Not that Kacey would ever get over losing her father, but at least she knew that dwelling on the loss wasn't going to make a difference. Emily also liked to think that maybe she and Derek's love and guidance had a little to do with Kacey's coping abilities. "Yeah, baby. We'll both be a little late today, but that's okay."

xxx

It was nearly two weeks before Kacey finally announced she had the box ready, which was how the four of them had come to gather under an old birch tree in their backyard the morning of Thanksgiving. Morgan had dug a small hole by the base of the tree, just deep enough for the box. Even at a foot and a half deep it had been a bit difficult with the frozen ground. But he'd been proud to be a part of Kacey's memorial to her father.

Derek crouched down beside the little girl who had been fathered by the man they were about to pay their respects to. He'd gone to Lucas's funeral a year ago in Emily and Kacey's absence, but he hadn't been sure what to say to the man then. Now he had a few words to share as he draped an arm across Kacey's shoulders. "I just want you to know that I love Kacey very much, and I promise to take care of her and be her father until I take my last breath," he vowed. "Same as you did."

Kacey smiled and kissed her daddy's cheek as he gave her a big hug. She watched him stand and move toward her mom. The seven-year-old looked to her mother who had Lulu bundled up in her arms. "Can I show you all the stuff I put in daddy's box?" she asked.

"If you want to," Emily nodded. "But it's up to you."

The girl carefully removed the lid from the cardboard box and pulled out each item, explaining them as she did so. "This is the new ladybug rock I made for him that Molly helped me with. And this is a picture of Lulu, because daddy never got to meet her. A picture of Ginger," she went on about a few other things and lastly unfolded a drawing she'd done all in blue crayon. "This is mommy and daddy, and me and Lulu and Ginger all in the pool, so daddy knows I'm happy with my family here," she concluded. Kacey refolded the drawing and put the cover back on the box. With Derek's help they placed it in the hole.

Morgan shoveled dirt over the item, successfully burying it. He and Emily stood by as they watched Kacey arrange a bunch of rocks in a cross formation over the hole. "I miss you, daddy," the girl said. "And I won't ever forget you," she promised. Kacey got up and went to Derek, holding her arms out to him so he'd pick her up.

She laid her head against his shoulder, snuggling up against his warmth. "Did I do the memorial right?" Kacey asked her mother.

Emily kissed her daughter's forehead. "It was perfect," she assured.

* * *

**End**


	49. Thanks

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Thanks**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Just a few hours after the private memorial Kacey had given her father, Derek sat at one end of the dining table, which had been extended to accommodate everyone. He stared out at all the faces gathered. His mother and Desiree were there along with Sarah, her husband and their little boy; who'd all made the trip from Chicago. Emily's parents were both in attendance. And even Molly had joined them, deciding not to travel to St. Louis for the holiday. Ginger was sitting at attention beside Kacey, tail flopping back and forth. And the most important people there were his three girls.

"This year I'm thankful to celebrate my first Thanksgiving with all of you," Derek began, hoping to start a new tradition with his family by making statements as to what they were thankful for. "It's been a crazy year, but also a very wonderful one. I want to thank you all for being here to share this meal with us. I also want to thank Lucas and Emily for bringing Kacey into my life. And I want to thank Kacey and Lulu for helping me realize that I could be a good father. Last, but certainly not least, I especially want to thank my beautiful wife, for her love and support." He looked Emily in the eye as he spoke. "I'd be lost without you."

Fran Morgan reached over to squeeze her son's hand. "I'm thankful to have such a wonderful son. I wasn't sure I'd ever see him settle down, but the way I've watched him step up to the plate this past year has made me prouder than any mother has a right," she grinned.

"Well, I'm thankful that Derek has someone else to torture with his overprotective ways, so maybe he won't bully any more of my boyfriends," Desiree teased.

"Not likely," Derek winked at his younger sister.

Sarah chuckled as she watched her sibling banter. "I'm thankful that he has a wife to cook for him now, because he's a menace in the kitchen."

Derek glanced across the table and caught his wife's eye again. "Should I tell them you had this meal catered?"

"Thanks for ratting me out," Emily shot back.

The table erupted into laughter for a moment until Emily's father cleared his throat. "I'm thankful to spend another holiday in this house where we celebrated Emily's very first Thanksgiving together so many years ago."

"Careful, daddy," Emily warned. "If you mention exactly how many years ago that was I might have to kick you out."

Elizabeth Prentiss smiled, seated beside her husband. She was glad to see the two of them interacting so well after all the years of tension between the three of them. "I would like to say that I'm thankful for the opportunity to finally get to know my granddaughter, Kacey, and getting to spend time with her and little Lulu," she relayed as her attention fell to Emily. "I'm also glad for the chance to see my daughter so happily raising _her_ daughters."

Touched by her mother's words, Emily realized it was her turn as she stole a glance at the baby snoozing in her arms. "First of all, I'm thankful that Lulu just fell asleep so maybe I can enjoy a meal without having to nurse her or change a diaper," she quipped. "I've never been very good at all this touchy-feely stuff, but I have so much to be thankful for this year. I think Derek pointed out most of those things. But the thing I'm most grateful for this year is my husband who stuck by my side as we walked through that burning building and came out the other end relatively unscathed."

Molly was sure she couldn't top that, but she quickly thanked them all for including her in their celebration. She turned to Kacey who was seated next to her. "What are you thankful for this year?" Molly asked the girl.

"Well," Kacey sighed dramatically. "I'm thankful that mommy and daddy finally stopped talking so now we can eat," she declared. "Oh, and Ginger will be thankful for any food you might accidently drop on the floor."

Derek and Emily let her comments slide, already knowing that the girl was thankful every day of the year for their family.

* * *

**End**


	50. Cookie

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Cookie**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek rinsed out the bottle and left it in the kitchen sink then grabbed one of the snowman cookies off a plate on the counter and walked into the living room where his wife was curled up on the sofa. He glanced around at all the holiday décor and smiled to see the fireplace aglow. He'd always enjoyed the holidays with his mother and sisters, but sharing it now with Emily and their girls made it even more special for him. Last year had been Kacey's first Christmas with them and soon it would be Lulu's first Christmas, even though she was still a little too young to know what was going on.

"Did you get the girls to sleep?" Emily asked.

He nodded, sinking down beside her on the comfy sofa. "Lulu is always easy; give her the bottle for about ten minutes and she's out like a light. But getting Kacey to brush her teeth took nearly twenty minutes and then she wanted three chapters of that _Little House_ book read to her, and water, and Ginger to sleep in her bed, and the night light turned on, and the door open a crack," Derek lamented as he rattled off the list. "And she still didn't look very sleepy when I finally left her. I figured your big cookie baking day would have worn her out, but apparently not."

"It's less than a week before Christmas, Derek. She's way too excited for mundane things like sleeping," Emily pointed out with a sympathetic shoulder rub. "Of course she thinks she's going to get a _real_ cat for Christmas. Too bad we have to disappoint her, but hopefully she'll like the other gifts we're getting her."

"She will," Morgan was confident as he finally brought the cookie toward his mouth. He stopped about half an inch before it reached his lips and then pulled back to regard the odd looking snowman. It was decorated very precisely; white frosting on one half of it and black on the other. After a moment more spent scrutinizing the item, he held it out to Emily. "I'm guessing there's some sort of story behind this cookie?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she snuggled up against his chest. "I don't want to talk about it."

Morgan was almost inclined to abide her wishes, but he was far too curious to let it go. "Come on, Em. I really want to know why frosty the snowman here it painted like a zebra," the last word out of his mouth sparked a memory that had him even more curious. "Did your mommy-daughter cookies baking day not go so well?"

"It's not that," she responded. "I'm glad I took the day off to spend with the girls. I feel like we don't have enough time together these days since I'm back to working full time. Although, next year I think cookie baking day should be about three days; one to mix the cookies, one to bake them and one to decorate. It was a bit much packing it all into one day," an unintentional yawn escaped her mouth to further prove her point.

It wasn't hard to tell she'd intentionally stopped there with no further elaboration about the day, but he still persisted. "Please, Emily. I don't think I can eat this cookie until I know how it came into existence."

A soft chuckle escaped her lips, but her merriment suffered a quick death. "Well, it all started when I took the girls to the market this morning to buy all the necessary cookie baking ingredients, as well as some other essentials. That went about as well as can be expected. There was the usual: I want every sugary cereal known to man, from Kacey. And Lulu decided to produce the stinkiest diaper in the history of stinky diapers right there in the produce section, but I got Lu changed and I allowed Kacey one box of Fruit Loops. All was calm and bright by the time we got to the checkout stand," she relayed.

"And then there... arose such a clatter?" he guessed. They really had read one too many Christmas stories to Kacey already.

"Yeah, something like that," Emily sighed. "Kacey was helping me take things out of the cart and this older woman behind us in line remarked on how helpful she was being. She even told me that I had a beautiful daughter who looked just like me." A heavier sigh escaped before Emily proceeded with the tale. "So, then she turned to Lulu, who was minding her own business while she drooled on her stuffed ladybug, and the woman says: the little girl you're babysitting is cute too. Except she didn't sound as enthusiastic about it as when she'd complimented Kacey."

"Oh, dear," Derek had a feeling he wasn't going to like this story any more than Emily had enjoyed living through it. "What did you say?"

"Nothing, I stood there like an idiot while Kacey turned to stare at the woman, and very nicely said: We're not babysitting Lulu, she's my little sister." Emily felt the fire in her belly start to rumble again. "To which the woman responded: Oh, I didn't realize you were both half-black children."

Morgan cringed. He'd heard similar comments most of his childhood, but he hadn't been quite prepared to hear it in reference to his children. "And then you blew a gasket?" he guessed.

"I wish," Emily shook her head. "Actually, I'm glad I didn't say anything because Kacey, God love her, she had several more words for that woman."

"Do I really want to know?" Derek questioned.

Emily actually smiled a little. "She told the woman that her daddy was half _African American_, so Lulu was only really one quarter black. You know, because she's been big into fractions lately," Emily reminded, her grin growing brighter. "And she ended with something along the lines of: Lulu is more Irish and Scottish than black."

He smiled too, proud of his little girl for speaking the truth. "So, it didn't turn out so bad after all."

"I guess not. The woman shut her mouth after that; didn't even look at us again," Emily shrugged, feeling a little bad for the way things had gone. But she was still more upset that anything. "I just can't believe that in this day and age there are still people who think like that, let alone say those sorts of things out loud."

"Well, you've never been discriminated against, Emily." Derek commented. "You get used to it."

Her mouth hung open as she pulled out of their embrace and stared him in the eye like she barely knew who he was. "First of all, no one should have to get used to that kind of blatant discrimination," Emily stated. "And second, I can't even believe you just said I've never been discriminated against. Have you completely forgotten that I grew up in different countries around the world? I mean, physical and cultural differences were bad enough, added to that there was usually a language barrier I had to overcome. I spent most of my childhood trying to fit in. And, even as progressive as the bureau is, women are still not treated as equally as men. So, don't even tell me I don't know what it's like to be discriminated against."

"I'm so sorry, Em," Derek replied, his heart having seized the second she'd mentioned growing up around the world. He felt horrible for forgetting the things she'd endured throughout her childhood, always feeling like an outsider and having to make new friends at her new schools. "I really didn't think through what I said before I said it. And…" he sighed. "I did get used to hearing those things, but I still hate it."

She forgave him pretty easily, seeing the sincerity in his eyes. "So, how do we make sure our children don't have to go through that same experience?" Emily pondered.

Morgan's head shook. "Short of changing the whole world's way of thinking, I don't know." He drew her back to his side, wrapping her up in his arms as the snowman cookie that had started it all still clung to the fingers of his left hand. "I guess all we can really do is to teach our children not to see those black and white lines. Which, judging from Kacey's reaction to that woman, we're already doing a pretty good job of it."

"I don't know how much credit I can take for Kacey," Emily replied. "I had that first year, but then I missed out on the next five."

"You have a lot to do with how she's turning out," he whispered in her ear, realizing she would probably always regret those lost years with her daughter. "Because, even when you weren't there in her life, your brains and your blood were inside her, influencing her through your super nerd, super loving, super special genetics."

Emily laughed, warmed by the way he always knew the right things to say to make her feel better. "I guess worrying about it doesn't help much."

"Nope," he agreed. "There will come a time when we just have to trust that the girls will be able to make it on their own in life, no matter what the obstacle." Derek glanced at the cookie again. "So, do you think there are any social or political ramifications to eating a snowman cookie that's half black and half white?"

"I think the only real result will be that the inside of your stomach turns gray," Emily joked.

Derek bit the snowman's head off and chewed, blurring the lines between black and white in the cookie world.

* * *

**The End**


	51. Cat

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Cat**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily opened her eyes slowly. As her sight cleared from the fogginess of sleep, she focused on the man in bed beside her. His eyes weren't closed, but aimed downward a little toward his chest where the baby was cuddled. Derek gently rubbed Lulu's back as he glanced over at his wife and smiled warmly. "I thought I told you I didn't like it when you brought her into bed with us," Emily said, scooting herself closer to the two of them. "I've read things about parents rolling over onto their babies while sleeping and smothering them to death."

He simply shook his head. "You worry too much," Derek tried to lean over and kiss her.

She pulled back a little. "It's in the parent handbook to worry," Emily countered. "And it's a very valid thing to be worried about. You're not exactly a small guy, I mean… you're not fat by any means… and Lulu's big for her age, but she's still just a baby and..."

"Okay, grouchy wife," he pouted, pretending to be hurt by her reaction to him attempting to be close. "I just wanted to do something nice for you this morning by getting up with her before she woke you, and I wanted to come back to bed so I could wish you a merry Christmas, but if you don't want…"

Emily finally smiled. "I forgot its Christmas morning," her voice instantly took on a cheerier tone and she leaned in to kiss him.

"How could you forget?" Derek wanted to know. "Kacey has been marking off the days since the first of December. In fact, I'm really surprised she isn't already awake, hounding us about opening her presents."

"Yeah," Emily tried to remain nonchalant. "That is surprising," she agreed.

His eyes slid toward her again, detecting something in her voice that he rarely heard. "What did you do, Em?"

The accusation in his tone was clear and Emily knew she was pretty horrible at lying to him. "I might have slipped a little cold medicine into her hot cocoa last night," she shrugged.

"You drugged our daughter?"

"Well, I wanted her to at least get a little bit of sleep last night. We have a big day ahead of us with brunch at Garcia's and then diner with my parents later. I knew there was no way she'd get any sleep on her own, and it's not drugs really. It's just a little cold medicine. She'll be fine. I doubt she'll sleep in that late even with that stuff in her system. What time is it now?"

"Um…"

He didn't need to say a word, because the child in question came barreling into their room. "Mommy! Daddy!" Kacey's voice broke through the quietness. "It's 5:30 on Christmas morning. I bet Santa was here, can we go see? Please?" Ginger padded into the room behind Kacey, a little less enthusiastic as her human friend.

"Five-thirty," Emily groaned, laying her head back down on the pillow and closing her eyes. "I need coffee."

Derek grinned, even though she couldn't see with her eyes closed. He leaned over and whispered. "This is your payback for drugging her."

Emily made a small noise of annoyance as Kacey protested by jumping onto the king-sized bed and kneeling beside her mother. "No coffee, mommy," she carefully pried her mother's eyelids open and stared down at her. "I think Lulu wants to open her presents right now," the child used her baby sister as an excuse. "She can't wait," Kacey concluded with a confidant nod.

"Oh, Lulu wants to open her presents, huh?" it was Derek who asked, sensing that his wife really was still tired. "Are you sure you're not confused with a slightly older girl in this room," he asked while playfully poking Kacey's belly. "I think it's you who wants to open presents right now," he accused in a playful voice.

Kacey laughed as she tried to squirm away from his ticking hand, but Derek didn't let up. "Okay, daddy… it's me, I want to open presents," she gave in. "Please? I asked nicely," she looked up at him with her big blue eyes and smiled as sweetly as she could to get her way.

Morgan stopped the tickle attack and pulled her over so that she was sitting on his legs. Lulu remained on his chest, half way between being asleep and awake; clearly not carrying about Christmas morning. "Here's the deal," he spoke softly to his older daughter. "I go down first to turn on the lights and get mommy's coffee brewing. You have to wait at least ten minutes up here with your mommy and Lulu, okay?"

Kacey was already bouncing up and down on his legs in anticipation. "I'll try," she honestly replied.

He looked to his wife. "I guess that's as good a promise as any," Derek shrugged as he laid Lulu down beside Emily. Kacey moved toward her mother again, cuddling up on her other side. Morgan kissed Emily's lips one more time. "I'll try to be quick," he promised before darting out of the room.

Emily drew her older daughter closer and was glad when Kacey relaxed just a little bit. "Do you know how much I love you, Kace?"

"Lots," the girl replied as she tickled Lulu's belly the way her daddy had just done to her.

The baby giggled happily, still nestled beside her mother. "More than lots," Emily replied. "Lots and lots and lots," she grinned, thinking about her life. It was hard to remember Christmases past when she didn't have Kacey with her, or Derek, or anyone else to share the holiday with. Now she had the two of them, plus Lulu and even Ginger. She already had the best gifts she could ever want for Christmas.

xxx

It was seven and a half minutes before Kacey couldn't stand the anticipation any longer. She rushed down the stairs, dragging her mother by the hand. Emily grasped Lulu against one side and yawned as she continued to blink away her sleepiness. But when they hit the living room Emily couldn't help laughing as she saw Derek wearing a big white beard and red Santa hat. He greeted her with another kiss and a mug of hot coffee, taking the baby from her arms so she could sit and drink for a moment. By then Kacey was already knee-deep in presents, eyes darting all around as she tried to figure out where to start.

Derek decided it best if he handed out the gifts one-by-one. And Emily discarded her coffee, doing her best to document the morning with her camera. The whole event was over in very short order, ending with Kacey seated on the carpeted floor; everything from clothes to toys mounded all around her. The girl was happily playing with a new art set when Derek asked her if she'd gotten everything she wanted.

Kacey got to her feet and waded through the sea of tissue, wrapping paper and gifts. She crawled onto Derek's lap and hugged him. "It's the best Christmas ever," she smiled, though a little bit wistfully. "Except daddy's not here," she added. "And last year was really, really good too because I got ginger. But this year we have Lulu, so I guess that makes it better." She was quiet for a brief moment. "It's too hard to pick the best Christmas."

He grinned, loving the way she was always honest. "Are you disappointed you didn't get a cat?"

She shrugged. "Nah, I have Ginger," Kacey patted the dog's head as she spoke the words. "And she's the best pet. But maybe someday I can still get a cat."

"Well," Morgan shooed her off his lap. "I think Santa might have left something out in the garage for us."

"What?" Kacey's eyes lit up.

Emily frowned, knowing every gift they'd bought and wrapped had already been accounted for. "Yeah, what?" she asked, not as excited as Kacey, but plenty curious. She noticed the sparkle in her husband's eyes, the same look he'd been wearing before presenting Kacey with her dog and herself with an engagement ring the year before. "Derek, I swear to God if you bring a cat out of that garage…"

Morgan reached for Lulu. He situated the, almost, seven-month-old baby on his left hip and cocked his head. "You'll what?" he asked in a challenging tone. Then he kissed the baby on her cheek. "Come on, Lu. Let's go see what Santa left in the garage. But mommy and Kacey have to stay out here," he pointed his finger to the two other females in his life. "Promise?"

"I promise, daddy," Kacey was quick to agree, desperately wanting to know what was in the garage.

A hefty sigh escaped Emily's lips. "Fine, go get whatever you…" she trailed off, seeing the pointed look Derek shot her. "I mean, _Santa_, left in the garage."

He and Lulu were barely gone a few minutes when they returned to the living room. Derek still had Lulu at his hip, but he was also carrying a small tan colored animal cage in his other hand. Kacey gasped as she jumped to her feet. Emily rolled her eyes at the fact everything she and Derek had agreed about on not getting a cat seemed to have gone in one of his ears and out the other. But she couldn't help notice how adorable the fluffy white cat was as he extracted it from the cage.

"I cannot believe you got Kacey a cat," Emily finally said. "After everything we talked about."

"I didn't get Kacey a cat," his head shook.

Kacey looked a bit crestfallen at that comment. "You didn't?"

"You didn't?" Emily echoed her daughter's words.

"Nope," Derek maintained as he held the cat closer to the baby who giggled and reached for it. "I got Lulu a cat," he declared.

"Aw, Lulu got a kitty," Kacey seemed happy for her sister, no doubt because it meant the cat was staying and she'd get to play with it as much as her sister. "You got your first pet, Lu," the older girl talked softly to her sister. "And you got her for Christmas just like I got Ginger for Christmas last year. But the kitty needs a name, doesn't she daddy? Is she a she or a he?"

Morgan chuckled. "It's a girl," he confirmed.

"Of course it is," Emily remarked. "You seem to like females, no matter what the species," she teased.

Derek patted the cat, who was content to lay curled up on his lap. "I went to the shelter a few months back when Kacey was lobbying for a cat, just intending to look. Well, I spotted this little thing and the girl working there told me she'd been found in a house with four other cats and two big dogs. The person living there barely fed them so she was deathly ill when she got here, but they nursed her back to health and because she'd lived with other dogs without issue I figured she'd get along with Ginger," he explained, watching as his wife quickly crumbled upon hearing the whole story.

"Does she have a name? Because I think we should name her Cinnamon," Kacey spoke up again, taking it upon herself to name the cat. "Then we could have Ginger and Cinnamon," she laughed at her own silly joke.

"She doesn't have a name yet," Derek replied.

"But I think we should avoid the spice theme," Emily added.

"Then… can we name her blue?" Kacey asked, recalling that she'd wanted an animal to name after her favorite color. She crouched down by her sister again. "What do you think, Lu, should we call her blue?"

Emily looked to her husband with pleading eyes. "Lu and blue?" she asked. "Besides, the cat is white."

"Say blue, Lulu," Kacey was still persistent. "Tell mommy and daddy you want to name the kitty cat Blue. Bllluuue," she slowly sounded out the word.

"Boo!" Lulu made a noise of exclamation as she stared at her sister.

Morgan and Emily both exchanged a wondrous smile. "Did she just try to say blue?" Emily asked, knowing that the baby had been close to saying mama and papa a few times over the last few weeks. It was still pretty early for her to be talking, though.

"Boo," Lulu repeated the last word her mother had spoken. She giggled, as if proud to show off her newfound gift of words. Even if it was a mostly nonsensical word.

"I think she's really trying to say blue," Derek agreed.

"Boo," the baby repeated a third time.

Kacey laughed to hear her sister's tiny-soft voice. "I guess the kitty's name is Boo," she shrugged. "Maybe Lulu thinks she looks like a ghost." The seven-year-old guided Ginger over to meet the cat. "Say hello, Ginger. This is our cat named Boo." Ginger sniffed the small white fur ball and even tried to lick it. Boo just sat there very calmly as she stared at the big dog. "I think they already like each other," Kacey declared.

Derek sat Lulu and the cat on the floor with Kacey and Ginger then he reclined against the sofa. Emily snuggled up closer as they both watched Lulu sitting between Kacey's legs. The cat was slowly tip-toeing around the gift explosion and Ginger was following Boo along with a curious sniff here and there. "You're not mad at me are you?" Morgan asked his wife, kissing her cheek.

"No, I guess not," Emily replied. "But you get to clean up after this one too, if Kacey doesn't."

He nodded slowly as he pulled something out from behind the pillow he was leaning against. Derek placed a small velvet box on her lap. "Looks like Santa forgot another gift he'd been hiding."

Her eyes went wide, knowing they'd already exchanged gifts. "What is this?"

"I believe it's customary to open a gift and find out," he grinned.

Emily pried open the box and found a silver necklace with two stones hanging off it. One was a pearl and the other a peridot charm. "The girl's birthstones," she noted while pulling it free of the box. Emily held it out for him to clasp behind her neck. When it was secure, she ran her fingers along the two stones and smiled gratefully up at her husband. "How can you be such a pest, and yet so romantic?" Emily questioned.

Morgan shrugged. "It's a gift."

"Merry Christmas," she whispered.

"Merry Christmas, Emily," he sealed their sentiment with a kiss.

* * *

**The End**


	52. Bedroom

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Bedroom**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek glanced around his softly lit bedroom and couldn't help the smile that formed. Kacey was snuggled up beside him, having passed out an hour ago, unable to make it all the way to midnight. Ginger was sprawled across the end of their king-sized Tempur-Pedic. The dog's head was down, tail swishing every few minutes. The newest animal addition to their family, Boo, was curled up on the arm chair in the corner of the room. Lulu was content in her mother's arms, eyes at half mast as she suckled at Emily's breast. Emily caught his eye as he looked her way, and she smiled, completing the picture of his New Years Eve party.

He remembered the days as a boy sitting on his father's lap and watching the ball drop on the TV. As a teenager, hanging out with his buddies at the Upward Youth Center, playing ball in the freezing temperatures until they heard the neighborhood ring in the New Year with a symphony of pot banging, firecrackers and people shouting. As a young man at college, drinking into the wee hours and kissing whatever girl was closest at midnight. And his Chicago force days, working the New Year's shift, pulling in rowdy guys to cool off in the drunk-tank over night. Then his first years at the BAU when New Years had been spent clubbing in DC and usually ended with some beautiful young thing in his bed, who he occasionally forgot the name of the next morning.

But by far the best New Year's celebration he could imagine was watching his wife nurse their baby girl into her first full year of life while his adopted, and dearly beloved, seven-year-old slept at his side. "I think I'm getting old," he finally announced.

Emily grinned tiredly and she stroked Lulu's cheek. "There's no thinking involved on my end," she responded. "Is it even really important that we stay up till midnight? The New Year will get here whether we're awake or not, right?"

"Probably," he nodded, leaning over Kacey to kiss his wife on the lips.

Her mouth curled into a brighter smile. "I thought that was supposed to happen at midnight," Emily suddenly seemed a little more inclined to ring in the New Year.

Morgan shrugged. "Just a little warm up," he whispered, kissing her again, a little longer… a little more wontedly. "A taste of what's to come later," he hinted.

"Seriously?" Emily looked doubtfully at him. "You're really up for that?"

"Not just yet," he teased. "But once I transport Kacey to her bed and you finish with the little one," one brow arched suggestively. "I'll even shoo the dog and cat out of the room so it will be just the two of us."

She quirked her lips to one side in a contemplative motion. "Do I have to be awake for this plan of yours?"

"Come on, Em," he pretended to be hurt by her comment. "Our Tuesday/Thursday and occasionally Saturday schedule has become a little too regimented for me."

A sigh escaped her mouth. "But if I don't schedule these things then everything else gets off."

He leaned back against the headboard. "Except for me," Derek grumbled under his breath. The domestic ringing in of the New Year he loved, but the lack of sex in their marriage lately had been bringing him down. He turned to face her again, knowing how difficult it was for her balancing the girls and work. "You know, I heard once you're supposed to spend New Year's Eve doing what you hope to do more of in the New Year," he smiled. "So, if that means spending more time with you and the girls in the New Year then I'm a happy guy."

"Smooth, very smooth," she chuckled. "You certainly haven't lost your touch, Derek Morgan."

His laughter joined hers for a moment, though his words had been sincere. Just a few minutes later the lighted ball in Times Square began to make its descent on the TV. Derek's eyes moved to Kacey who was still out like a light. "Should I wake her?"

"Nah," Emily said as she extracted her nipple from Lulu's mouth and rearranged her nightshirt. The baby was also fast asleep as the ball made its way down. She took Derek's hand as they softly whispered the last few numbers together.

"Three… two…one…"

An explosion of noise filled New York City on their TV, but Derek promptly muted it with the remote. He bent to kiss the girl at his side, whispering a happy New Year greeting in her ear. The same was repeated for Lulu. Then Derek scooted as close as he could to Emily, Kacey still between them and Lulu still pressed against her mother's chest. Their kiss was soft, passionate and full of love. "How about you tuck Kacey in," Emily rasped as they pulled away a little, lips still hovering inches apart. "And I'll take Lu back to her crib," she suggested.

"And then I'll kick the animals out?" he asked with hopeful eyes, as if it were a code phase.

She nodded, a broad grin forming across her face. "And we can ring in the New Year doing what we'd like to do more of in the New Year, and not just on Tuesdays, Thursdays and the occasional Saturday," she finally agreed.

He kissed her again, a quick peck on the lips. "I knew there was a reason I married you," Derek grinned widely as he finally pulled away and scooped Kacey's limp body up in one swift motion.

They both exited the bedroom on their separate kid missions, but reunited minutes later to make good on their promise. Derek pulled his t-shirt off as Emily worked at his boxer-briefs. Her cotton, button-front nightshirt followed shortly after and they laid there for a moment, flesh to flesh, as they tried to forget about the two kids, one dog, one cat, the jobs and all of the other small things that existed beyond their bedroom door. Their sex life certainly wasn't what it had once been pre-kids. Those passion-filled nights that had seemed to last forever had been replaced with quick sessions that often got interrupted by crying, barking or yelling.

"What do you want?" he whispered in her ear, hoping to recoup some of their old spark in the New Year.

Emily let herself relax and delighted in his soft touch. She was still tired, but pushed past it in the hopes of breaking free from the routine she'd once thought so important. "Only you," her words were hot breath against his shoulder as they finally joined. "Happy New Year," she added with pleasure.

His teeth gently nipped her lips as he echoed the sentiment, "Happy New Year."

* * *

**End**


	53. Remember

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Remember**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Morgan slid one arm around his wife's waist as they watched their little boy hug Emily's parents. The two adults exchanged goodbyes with their grandson and Peter gave his grandpa an extra long hug. "Thank you for coming to my birthday party, Papa," the seven-year-old smiled happily.

"It was my pleasure," Victor Prentiss replied, tenderly patting the boy's head before he and the ambassador exited the house.

Emily's cheek rested against her husband's shoulder. "He was never that affectionate with me growing up. Maybe he always wanted a son," she whispered, hating the fact that she was jealous of her father's relationship with Peter.

"Your father loves you," Derek replied with a kiss to her temple. "I think it's just easier to be a grandparent. They don't feel as much responsibility. They can just be there to have fun with their grandkids," he offered.

"Daddy?" Peter's brown eyes were focused in a manner both parents had come to know as his inquisitive look, which was usually followed by a round of questions. In the three-year-old phase those questions were mostly of the, _why_, variety. Now they often packed more of a punch. "How come Papa and Grandma Liz always come see me together, but Grandma Fran is alone when she visits. Where does your daddy live, daddy?"

Derek certainly hadn't been expecting that much of a punch to his son's question. But he realized they'd never actually explained it to the boy. He pulled away from Emily and reached down to lift the child into his arms. "Come here, Spidey," Derek intoned one version of the Spiderman nickname that had been used on the boy for many years. "I think it's about time we had a talk about that."

Guessing it was probably a man-to-man talk, Emily hung back as Derek moved toward the double doors that led to their back patio. But he turned around just before exiting. "It's a beautiful night. Why don't you come outside with us," he beckoned to her with one hand. "Please."

She covered the distance in a second and took his hand, following them to the metal table and chairs. It had been a hot summer day and was still warm at eight o'clock at night. Derek settled himself onto one chair, Peter situated atop his lap. Emily sat across from them, content to watch the two men she loved most. "When I was a little older than you my dad died," Derek finally told his son. "A bad guy shot your Grandpa Stu while he was trying to rob a store," he looked to Emily, hoping she wouldn't think that was too much information for the young boy. She simply flashed a sympathetic smile his way.

"Things were kind of tough after that for us," Morgan continued. "We had my dad's pension, but my mom – Grandma Fran – still had to work long hours. And instead of those Oreo cookies you like so much we ate a lot of graham crackers, because they were cheaper. My sisters and I used to sit out on the stoop on warm nights just like this. We'd have graham crackers and plastic cups filled with ice-cold milk for dunking. And we'd share our favorite memories about our dad."

Emily smiled again, realizing he rarely ever mentioned his father. "That's really sweet."

"What did you remember about Grandpa Stu?" Peter asked.

"Well," Derek sat back a little more, wrapping his arms around the boy. "We talked about his love of baseball, and how he was probably the only man in Chicago who rooted for both the Cubs and the White Sox," he chuckled wistfully. "We'd remember how he always came home smelling really strong of soap, because he'd shower at the precinct after every shift. And he'd come through the door larger than life; grab me under one arm and Desi under the other. Sarah would be hanging off his shoulders, and then he'd kiss mama long and slow like they were still newlyweds."

Peter squeezed both his arms around his father's neck. "I wish I could have known him, daddy."

"And I wish he could have known you, Peter," Derek kissed his son's forehead.

"Maybe tomorrow night we can sit outside and eat graham crackers together," Peter suggested.

Derek held his son a little tighter. "I'd like that a lot," he ticked the boy under his arms and delighted in the happy squeals of laughter that followed.

"I hate to break this up," Emily interrupted shortly thereafter. "But I think it's time for someone to get PJs on and brush his teeth," she concluded.

Morgan grinned. "Okay, mom. I'll get ready for bed now," he teased. Peter slid off of Derek's lap, knowing she'd meant him. He obeyed her orders without protest, making his way back into the house. To which Derek keenly noted, "He must really be tired out from the birthday celebrations." Morgan got to his feet, went to his wife's chair and reached for her hand. She stood and pressed her body against his, their arms wrapping around one another. "So, when do _we_ get to go to bed?" he whispered, kissing his way down her neck.

"As soon as we tuck the birthday boy into bed," she replied.

His smile returned. "Good answer." Derek promptly took one of her hands in his and led her inside, closing and locking the outside door behind them. He also turned off lights as they snaked their way through the house and toward the stairs. "The rest of the clean up can wait until tomorrow."

She nodded in grateful agreement, leaning against his side as they worked their way up the stairs. "You know," Emily's thoughts retreated back to what Derek had told her and Peter earlier. "Growing up, I was taught to believe in heaven and hell, purgatory, and all that. As an adult I'm still not really sure what I believe, except to say that if there's any possibility your father is able to watch from where he is then I'm sure he knows about Peter, and he's proud of you."

He stopped Emily at the top of the stairs and twirled her around so they were facing. Derek smoothed a hand over her silky hair and tucked a bit of it behind an ear. "Do you remember what we were doing six years ago?" he asked.

"Celebrating Peter's first birthday," she chuckled.

"Yeah," he nodded. "That too, but I was actually thinking about..."

"When you asked me to marry you," Emily supplied.

His head bobbed again as he leaned in for a kiss, reconfirming their love for one another. When they both took a breath, Derek rested his forehead against hers. "Best decision I ever made," he let her know.

"I agree," she replied.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Peter called out from down the hall. "I'm in my bed and ready for a hug," he informed them.

They exchanged smiles while making their way toward the boy's room. "Best decision we ever made together," they spoke in unison, indicating the undeniable love they felt for their son.

* * *

**End**


	54. Football

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Football**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Lulu let out a gleeful giggle as Derek tickled her tummy. He was relaxed in his favorite brown leather recliner with the baby tucked in close. Derek was happy to be playing with his baby girl on a Sunday free from the trappings of work. Kacey was also nearby, seated on the floor with a mountain of coloring implements in front of her. And her faithful pal, Ginger, was right beside the girl. There was a big football playoff game about to start in an hour, and Derek didn't think he could be much happier. But when his wife cleared her throat and he turned to glance her way, Morgan's jaw dropped a little as he admired her attire. A slinky black skirt and steel-blue sink blouse hugged her curves. "Wow, you're looking very fancy for an afternoon at home."

"It's for the theater," Emily replied. She watched his eyes iris wider; no doubt worried that he'd forgotten some date they were meant to go on. "JJ, Garcia and I are going to see a matinee showing of _South Pacific_ at The Kennedy Center. We've had tickets for months, and I told you all this last week as a reminder," she concluded.

He nodded dimly. "Of course you did."

Emily frowned at his comment. "Don't say it like that. I _did_ tell you. And you agreed to watch the girls all day."

"All day, today?" he sought out clarification.

"Yes, today…" her voice trailed off a little as she moved down the hall and retrieved her wool coat from the entry closet. "They're your daughters," she added, walking back into the living room. "You do remember that, don't you?"

Morgan rolled his eyes in a playful manner. "I know. It's just there's a big playoff game today and I didn't know it would be the Bears versus Seahawks."

"Right," Emily stood beside his recliner and smoothed a hand over Lulu's soft head of hair. "And the Seahawks are from…"

"Seattle," he supplied, looking at her like she should have known the answer.

She nodded dramatically. "And the Bears are from…"

He let out an exaggerated breath. "Come on, Em. Bears… Chicago… a city you lived in for a while," Derek reminded her.

"You know I don't follow football," Emily shrugged, moving the conversation back toward her departure. "Well, Molly is up in Boston this weekend at that teaching job interview and my parents are in Brussels, so you're pretty much on your own." She looked from her husband to the baby and then to Kacey. "Just promise me you'll at least feed them at some point today."

"Don't be ridiculous, of course I will," he leaned forward and caught her hand, drawing her down for a quick peck on the lips.

Emily straightened her coat and ran a finger along her lips, hoping he hadn't messed up her lipstick. "We were thinking we might get a bite to eat afterward, so you'd be responsible for fixing them lunch and dinner. But I'll be back for bath time and tucking in. There's breast milk in the fridge; container with the red lid. And Lu usually has a small jar of fruit and a small jar of veggie for lunch. Then a bottle before nap time…"

"Go, woman," Derek shooed her away. "I've got this covered."

"Okay," she bent down to kiss the top of Lu's head. "I love you, sweetie."

"Love you too," Derek grinned cheekily, knowing she hadn't been referring to him. But he was rewarded with another pleasant kiss from his wife, despite his teasing nature. She then moved on to Kacey and Morgan listened as she rattled off a list of things for the girl to remind him, mainly having to do with food. He waved her off a second time. "I said go, crazy lady. I'll make sure they get fed, and changed, and napped, and… whatever else they need. So, go already. Have fun!"

Emily smiled thankfully and exited the room. The sound of the garage door opening and closing signified her final departure from the house and Derek grinned as he shifted the baby and bounced her gently on his knee. "I think mommy worries far too much. I know how to take care of my girls," he beamed proudly, just before a stream of white goo drooled out of Lu's mouth and onto his hand. "Oh, that's lovely," Derek crinkled his nose as he got up and carried the baby into the kitchen. He looked for a napkin or something else to clean her up.

Kacey appeared at his side a second later with a purple burp cloth. "Here, daddy."

"Thanks, kiddo," he quickly cleaned off the baby and himself then hauled Lulu back into the living room along with the burp cloth. Derek settled back into his cozy recliner in front of the TV and situated the baby, cloth hanging over his bicep where Lulu's head was resting. "Okay, game kickoff is just an hour away, that's plenty of time to catch some pre-game show," he turned the volume up a little.

"I'm hungry," Kacey announced.

Derek frowned. "Now?"

"It's twelve o'clock. That's lunch time," the girl informed him.

"True," he nodded. "I could use some chips for the game. That's potato, which is a veggie right?" Derek watched Kacey shrug. "And some ranch dip; dairy. Bean dip and corn chips, that's another veggie and a... well, certainly beans are in a good food group?" Again he received a non-committal shrug from his older daughter.

"I'd like peanut butter and jelly, please," Kacey said.

Laughter escaped his throat as he regarded her. "I forgot about the peanut butter and jelly food group," he quipped. "Can you make that yourself?"

"Um…" another shrug followed. "The jars are kinda hard to open."

He chuckled knowingly, recalling when he'd been a kid and everything had seemed just a little too big, or a little too difficult. "Okay, jar opening I can do," he got out of his chair and walked Lulu over to the port-a-crib that was set up in the corner. "Daddy will be right back," Derek kissed the baby before depositing her into the crib and moving toward the kitchen with Kacey. He pulled out all the important ingredients for a PB&J and opened the jars.

The seven-year-old did a pretty good job of getting most of the jelly on the bread, but she needed a little more help with the peanut butter. Morgan finished it up for her, smashed the two sides of the sandwich together and turned to hand it to her. "You have to cut the crusts, daddy," she protested.

"Of course, I forgot," Derek realized he hadn't been home to make her a sandwich in a long time. He cut the crusts off and then gave it to her, ready to grab his potato chips and dip. But Lulu's screams sent him running back into the living room. "Hey, baby girl, what's the matter?" he asked as he plucked her from the crib. She fought against him for a few seconds, not wanting to snuggle against his chest the way she usually did.

"She's hungry," Kacey informed him in between bites of her sandwich. "That's her hungry cry."

"More like a hungry shriek," Derek winced as his daughter reached a frightening octave. Even Ginger ducked out of the room. But the white cat stayed curled up in her corner chair, seeming oblivious to any noise or chaos going on. He once again affirmed that he'd certainly picked the right cat for their busy household. "All right, who needs pre-game shows anyhow? They're just a bunch of talk. I'm sure we can get you fed before kickoff," Derek reasoned, patting the baby's back to try calming her.

He flung the pantry door open with his free hand and rummaged through the jars of baby food that were kept at eye level. "So, we have some peas. Peas are a veggie," he nodded to himself. "And now a fruit," Morgan rummaged some more.

"Lulu doesn't like peas," Kacey announced from the doorway.

Morgan glanced over to see she was half-way through her sandwich and had a fine line of raspberry jam across her upper lip. "Then why am I only seeing jars of peas in here?" he asked.

"Because she doesn't like them," the girl replied, as if that point should have been obvious.

"Well… what _does_ she like?" he asked, softly bouncing Lulu in his left arm. Thankfully the baby had settled down a little.

"Squash."

"Squash?" Derek echoed. "Really? Is that even a veggie?" He looked to see Kacey give a shrug as she continued eating her sandwich. Upon further inspection of the pantry he concluded, "I don't see any squash."

"We ran out yesterday," Kacey replied.

He groaned. "Great, why didn't you tell me that before?" Again he received a shrug from the older girl, but he tried not to be upset with her as he continued looking for some fruit. "We have pears. Does she like those?"

"Yes."

"Good," he balanced both jars in one hand while closing the pantry door. Morgan looked to the baby. "Well, Lu, you're going to have peas and pears. And a lesson in not always getting what you want," Derek informed the eight-month-old. Lulu was munching on her hands and looked up at him as he spoke, her mother's eyes shining back at him. He couldn't help smile, giving her a quick kiss before maneuvering her to the table where the high chair was.

"You have to strap her in," Kacey piped up.

Morgan nodded. "I've done this before," he reminded her, although it had been a long time, because work usually kept him too busy for meals with his girls. He settled Lu in, fastened the belts around her waist and between her legs. Then he got a bib on her, grabbed a small spoon and began with the pears. Morgan scooped a small bite up and wiggled it in front of her mouth. Lulu's lips remained closed.

"Come on, baby girl," he coaxed. "You like pears."

Kacey finished her sandwich and perched herself on the edge of a chair, elbows on the table as she leaned toward her father. "That's not how mommy does it. You have to sing the lunch song before she'll eat," the girl explained.

A sigh escaped Derek's mouth as he looked to Kacey. "You can't be serious. I've never heard anything about a lunch song," he stole a glance at the clock on the stove across the kitchen. There was still a half hour until kickoff.

"It just started a few weeks ago when mommy couldn't get her to eat. Now Molly sings it too, and you'll have to if you want her to eat at all."

His head shook, but he gave in. "What is the lunch song?"

"It's time for lunch, so let's munch, munch, munch," Kacey sang. "Come on Lulu, let's chew-chew until we're all through."

Derek laughed, thinking it was perhaps the silliest song he'd ever heard, and he'd heard plenty of silly ones in his short career as a father. He pushed the spoonful toward Lulu's lips, hoping Kacey's singing had done the trick. But the baby ducked her head and mashed pears ended up on her forehead. Morgan turned to Kacey with a pleading look. "Why didn't it work?"

"_You_ have to sing it, daddy," she said. "The person feeding her has to do it."

He resisted the urge to ask why she kept leaving pertinent information out, but decided instead to swallow his pride. Derek began to sing, "It's time for lunch, so let's munch, munch, munch," he watched the baby smile and sit up straighter. "Come on Lulu, let's chew-chew until we're all through." When he offered her the pears again Lulu finally opened her mouth wide. He was happier than he probably should have been as he eyed Kacey. "It worked." Another thought struck him, though. "I don't have to sing that for each bite, do I?"

Kacey's head shook. "Nope."

Morgan was thankful for that and pleased when Lulu downed the rest of her pears in short order. Then he moved on to the peas, hoping to keep up the feeding pace since kickoff was down to being ten minutes away. But the first bite he tried was refused by Lulu. He tried again, but the peas ended up on her nose when she turned her head really fast on him. Derek tried singing the song again, but not even that helped.

"I told you she doesn't like peas," Kacey said.

His head lolled to one side in defeat as he listened to Lulu start crying again. He was pretty sure she was still hungry, but she was not about to touch the peas he had on offer and there were no veggie jars left in the cupboard other than more peas. Morgan could hear the game starting in the other room as he contemplated a trip to the grocery store. He briefly thought about feeding the baby double pears and lying to his wife about it, but he had a feeling Emily would know somehow, because she always seemed to have the uncanny ability to figure that sort of thing out. "I'll miss the first quarter, but could probably still catch most of the second," Derek spoke aloud to himself. "Then I could probably get her down for a nap at half-time and be able to watch the rest of the game," he reasoned.

"Okay, grab your coat," he said to Kacey. "And get the diaper bag," he added while wrestling Lulu out of the high chair. She was still whinny, but not too upset as Derek carted her to the SUV in the garage. He got her buckled into her car seat and Kacey in her booster then headed straight for the nearest store. It also happened to be the same store he'd traveled to many a time late at night when Lulu had still been in Emily's belly.

Derek realized just how much work it entailed to get a baby and seven-year-old through a store without buying anything extra than what they'd come for. Kacey talked him into a package of Oreos, grape juice and bananas. He also picked up extra peanut butter, a hot commodity at the Morgan residence, and some toilet paper, which he'd actually noticed they were low on. Finally he got to the baby aisle and scooped up about a dozen jars of squash, more pears and two boxes of teething biscuits.

They were through the checkout and home again in a half hour, no crying fits, no dirty diapers and no complaining about not getting what they wanted. Another half hour later, Lulu's belly seemed to be happily satiated with squash, of which she'd eaten a jar twice the size of the small ones Emily had purchased before. It was the very tail end of the first quarter when Derek sat down in his chair again, Lulu once more tucked in close. "Whoa," he gazed at the score for a second and grinned to see that the Bears were already ahead 14-0. "Way to go," Derek spoke to the TV, wishing he'd seen the plays that had earned those touchdowns.

"What?" Kacey asked, looking at the game going on with mild curiosity.

"Bears are winning," Morgan pointed out.

"Is that good?"

He nodded. "That's very good."

"I like that blue and white team," the girl noted after a few more minutes. "They have prettier uniforms than that other team. It kinda looks like clouds in a blue sky," she looked to her father with a smile.

"No, Kace," his head shook. "That team is the Seahawks. We don't like them; we're rooting for the Bears."

Her head also shook. "Nope, I like the blue and white team," she maintained.

"The Bears have blue on, too," Morgan pointed toward the screen. "Blue and orange and some white."

Kacey wrinkled her nose. "That blue is too dark, it looks black. I still like the other colors better, and they have some green. I want to cheer for them, okay…"

"Great catch!" Derek whooped, interrupting his daughter. A few minutes later his cheering reached a crescendo with a jovial, "Wahoo!" as the Bears scored another touchdown only a few minutes into the second quarter. "Nice one, Bears," he settled back into his seat, thankful that Lulu was so stuffed she seemed unperturbed by his yelling.

"How come the score went from 14 to 21 if the Bears only scored once?" Kacey asked her father.

"You get six points for a touchdown, and then the kick is an extra point. So you pretty much always get seven points when you score," he explained.

The girl's eyes were wide, clearly not understanding much of what he'd said. "Can I just color?" she asked.

"Sure," he agreed.

Lulu was completely out by half time and Derek walked her up to her bedroom and laid her out in the crib, hoping that it was okay she'd fallen asleep without a bottle first. He grabbed the baby monitor and rejoined Kacey in the living room. Morgan watched for a while as the game remained 21-0 until the third quarter when the Seahawks finally got on the board with three points. "How come they only got three points, daddy?" Kacey asked.

He looked over at her, seeing she wasn't coloring any more, but looking interested in the game again. "Come here, kiddo," Derek patted his lap and she jumped up, snuggling with him as they continued to watch. "You see, that was just a field goal they made and it's only worth three points."

"But you said they always got seven points for scoring," Kacey said.

"Only for a touchdown, not a field goal."

"I'm confused," she let him know. "But I still want to cheer for the pretty blue and white team," she responded. "I think they need lots of cheering."

Derek kissed her head and they watched together as the fourth quarter started and the Seahawks got their first touchdown of the game. "That's some good cheering you did," he remarked just before a loud noise reached their ears. It was most certainly not a cheer, but an unhappy cry filtering through the baby monitor. "Well, that nap didn't last as long as I'd hoped," Derek reluctantly got up from his chair, leaving Kacey behind to keep an eye on the game for him.

Upstairs, Morgan entered the baby's room and instantly suspected the culprit behind her waking up early. His nose bunched up at the offending smell. "Oh, baby girl," Derek waved a hand in front of his face as he leaned over the crib to stare down at his eight-month-old daughter. "That is fowl, munchkin," he said, reaching in to pluck her from the wooden crib. As soon as his hands snaked around her backside he felt something squishy.

"Oh, please tell me you did not…" he held her at arm's length and turned to see her pink t-shirt and purple leggings were stained a color that very much resembled the mushy squash she'd downed for lunch. The crib sheets were also covered in it. Lulu looked at him with her little brows slightly furrowed in a manner very similar to one he'd seen on Emily's face, the one that told him he'd done something really stupid. Derek had the sinking feeling he hadn't fastened the last diaper tight enough. He was always uncertain how tight was too tight and usually opted for less tight.

Morgan kept the baby at arm's length as he walked her down the hall to the nearest bathroom with a tub. He pushed the rug away and laid Lulu out on the title floor as he striped her. At the same time he reached over to fiddle with the facet until the water was just the right tepid temperature. Then he guided the naked baby toward the flow of water, holding on tight to her with one hand while he used the portable shower sprayer to douse her backside. Lulu giggled, kicking her feet in the water and giving her father a bit of an unexpected bath. "You're too cute, Lu," he cooed. "How can anyone be upset with you when you're so cute?"

Kacey ran into the bathroom with Ginger hot on her heals. "Daddy, the Bears made seven points again. But then the pretty blue and white team just got seven points, too!" she exclaimed. "Now it's… um, 17 to 35," she reported.

"Wow, Kace," he acknowledged her excitement. "That's great, honey."

"Why are you giving Lu a bath right now?"

"Because she pooed all over herself and her clothes and her bed," Derek replied.

The girl laughed. "I have to go keep cheering for the blue and white team!" she shouted before dashing back out of the room.

He looked to the baby again and smiled. "Just when I could actually use some help she decides to be a dedicated football fan," Morgan shrugged as he set the drain plug and began to fill the bath. With the big chunks washed away he decided to give the girl a proper bath. "We'll save mommy the trouble tonight, won't we?"

Lulu was happy to be placed on her own in the round bath seat that kept her safe from slipping. She splashed some more as Derek applied ample amounts of baby wash to every square inch of her body. It didn't seem like more than ten minutes later that Kacey came racing back into the bathroom, this time without the dog. "Daddy, the blue and white team just added another seven points to their score! Now it's 24-35."

"How much longer does the game clock say?" he asked, hoping she'd remember the time on the TV screen that he'd pointed out before.

"I think four minutes," she answered.

"Well, go back down and finish watching," Derek encouraged. He watched her take off as he went to the linen cabinet and pulled out Lulu's green frog towel. After a final rinse, he plucked her from the tub and wrapped her up. "I bet it feels good to be clean," he said as they walked back to her room. Morgan laid her out on the changing table, dried her off, lotioned her up and got a new diaper on her. Then he decided to go straight to jammies and hoped her bib would catch whatever dinner didn't go down her mouth.

Derek put her down on the carpeted floor when she was all dressed. He closed the door so she couldn't escape, because she was getting pretty good at crawling. Then he striped the crib sheets off and wadded them up into a ball. With his free arm he scooped the baby up and headed for the laundry room downstairs by the garage. By the time he returned to the game and sat down in his chair again, the Bears were still ahead and the Seahawks had no hope of winning.

"Why does than man keep going down on his knees like he's at church?" Kacey asked, cuddled on one side of Derek's lap while Lulu was on the other.

"They've already won the game, sweetie. They're just running down the clock now," he explained.

"Oh," her shoulders slumped a little. "So the blue and white team lost?"

He nodded, but kissed her forehead in a sympathetic motion. "Yeah, they did, darling. But it sounds like they did a good job of trying to come back in the end. That showed a good team effort," Derek relayed to her. He could see the girl was not buoyed very much by his words. "And maybe we can have a few Oreos before dinner to drown your sorrows," he suggested.

"Okay," she smiled.

They ate Oreos then bundled up and managed to get a short swinging session in outside before the sun set on them. After that there was a game of Candy Land, and Kacey's favorite game of; daddy monster, in which Derek chased her around the house like a zombie. Then Derek and Kacey got down on their hands and knees to crawl around with Lulu for a while before dinner was prepared and eaten. And Derek was quite relieved to learn that no singing was required to get Lulu to eat her evening meal. The girls were both in their pjs and cuddled on Derek's lap again when Emily got home at seven.

She shed her coat and heals, heading for the living room straight away. Emily got a big hug from Kacey, and a faint: ma, from Lulu. The baby was swept up into her arms and Emily kissed the top of her head. Then she pulled back a little and sniffed. "Did you already get a bath, Lulu?"

"Daddy gave her one 'cause she pooed all over everything," Kacey answered for her baby sister.

Emily bit her bottom lip. "She really did?"

"Yep," he nodded.

"I'm so sorry."

"Not your fault," Derek said as he stood and greeted her with a loving kiss. "Did you have fun?"

"It was a great production, and the food was good afterward. Not to mention the conversation which was all adult-like," she flopped down on the sofa with Lu on her lap. Kacey curled up next to them and Derek decided to forgo his recliner in exchange for snuggling up with all his girls. "I'm sorry about Lu, you probably missed your game," Emily figured.

Morgan shrugged. "I missed the first quarter because we had to go to the store and get the baby food version of squash…"

"Oh, crap," Emily chewed her lip again. "I forget we ran out.

"S'okay," he shook his head. "I saw most of the middle part, but then there was the blowout and bath and… then it was over."

She leaned in closer, kissing him even as Kacey was wedged between them. But Lulu's little hands found their way into both of their mouths, ending the union a little sooner than either of them would have liked. "Since I got today off, why don't you take Super Bowl Sunday for yourself?" she suggested.

"The Super Bowl?" he smiled. "I thought you didn't know much about football."

"Even I know the Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events in the US," Emily intoned. "Doesn't mean I know who'll be playing in it…"

"Maybe the Bears," Morgan said. "They won today."

"They beat the pretty uniform team," Kacey lamented.

Derek tickled Kacey's underarms and she squealed in protest as he managed to wrestle her onto his lap. Then he kissed her temple several times in quick succession. "I think I might have found someone in this family to appreciate football with me," he looked to the girl. "At least if we can get her past the stage of wanting to root for teams based on the color of their uniforms," he chuckled.

Kacey grinned as she looked to her daddy. "If the Bears play in the Super Bowl, I'll cheer for them with you," she vowed.

He kissed her again on the cheek. "Offers don't come much better than that," Derek noted.

Emily smiled to see how much he loved the little girl that had no genetic connection to him. She realized every day how blessed she was to have Derek in her life. "I might be able to top that offer," she whispered, brows raised in a promising enticement. "As soon as two little ones are tucked in," Emily concluded.

The offer didn't go unnoticed by Morgan, but they managed to keep their hands to themselves until after Emily nursed Lulu to sleep, and Derek read three books to Kacey. When they were finally free of kids and most of their clothing, he held her in his arms and smiled. "Did you really make up that ridiculous song to get Lu to eat her lunch?" he asked. "Let's chew-chew until we're all through?"

A soft chuckle and a shrug were her initial responses. "She loves it," Emily added a moment later.

"Yeah, I know," he sucked on her earlobe and kissed his way down her neck. "I sang it at least three times this afternoon," his lips planted a row of fire along her left collar bone and down her pale arm. "Now I have a little song for you," he whispered, lips working down the other side. "It's time for bed, my beautiful wife," Derek crooned. "I'm going to make love to you tonight… and for the rest of my life."

* * *

**End**


	55. Dance

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

**Spoilers for,_ The Thirteenth Step._**

* * *

**Dance**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek looked up from the report in his hands when he heard the knock. He spotted the red-head and abandoned his work in favor of her friendly smile and warm eyes; always a ray of sunshine on the darkest of days. And the last few days had been dark indeed. Chasing a modern day Bonnie and Clyde across state lines and being responsible for hostage negotiation had left him rougher than usual around the edges.

"Howdy and hello, my favorite secret agent man," she quipped.

"Hey, pretty lady," he grinned.

She could tell he wasn't in high spirits. "Occasionally I get tired of sitting in my hidey-hole," Penelope said. "But today is not one of those days, because what little I heard about Spokane…" she shuddered.

Morgan nodded. "Yeah, it's certainly not a salsa night," he muttered.

Penelope's ears perked up, her curiosity radar on full alert. "Salsa, you say?" she questioned the term. "Would that be tortilla chip, or…"

"The dance," he supplied, brows furrowed at the way she seemed to be fishing. "I do know how to move, baby girl."

"Yes," she agreed. "I do know that you know how to move. Yes, sir," Garcia waggled her eyes at him. "I was just, well salsa dancing… that's pretty, I mean isn't that a fairly defined niche? I always figured you more for the hip-hop let-it-all-hang-out sort of grove thang, but salsa huh?"

His head boded. "A brother's gotta mix it up every now and then."

"Yes," she nodded. "Mixing it up can be good. Definitely. I like to mix it up, too. You know Kevin and I, we… well, occasionally we go bowling," Penelope mashed her lips together, having no idea where that had come from. "So, um… do you have a particular someone you like to mix it up with?" she prodded.

He shook his head. "Nope."

"Okay," Garcia glanced at her watch. "Well, I must be off to meet my prince for dinner," she announced.

"Thought I was your prince, mama," he pouted.

She blew him a kiss. "No, no… you are my knight in shining armor," a playful wink punctuated her words.

Derek grinned as he watched her slip out the door. But he winced when she was out of sight, fearing he'd let too much slip.

xxx

Emily was hyper vigilant as she stood outside the entrance to her condo and keyed open the door. With a quick glance over her shoulder she stepped inside, closed the door and locked it. Then she slid the chain clasp over and flipped the deadbolt. She moved through the darkened hall and paused to kick off her shoes by the stairs. A lamp in the living room turned on and she jumped.

She pulled her gun and aimed it at the man seated on her sofa. "Shit, Morgan," she swore, finally realizing who it was. "You scared the crap out of me." That wasn't something she was particularly proud of either. Emily holstered her gun and then removed the whole unit from her waist. She sat it on the table behind her sofa and stood there staring at him. "How'd you get in here?"

He held up a silver object in his left hand. "You gave me a key," Derek reminded her, studying the obvious adrenalin pumping through her veins. The one in her neck looked like it was working overtime. "What's going on?" he asked, motioning her over with one hand. "Does this new agitated behavior of yours have anything to do with the calls you got while we were working the case?

"No, it's nothing," she lied, settling of the sofa next to him. "At least… nothing I'm ready to talk about yet."

Morgan reached for her, realizing she was close but not nearly close enough. She jumped a little at his touch and it worried him, but he slowly managed to draw her in and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay, we don't have to talk about it tonight," he agreed. "But we may want to discuss the fact that I let slip something about salsa dancing to Garcia this evening. And I'm assuming by her response that you also might have said something about it?"

"Crap," she sighed, finally resting her head against his chest and stretching her legs out. "Guess that dirty little secret was fun while it lasted."

"There's been nothing dirty or little about this secret," he replied, his fingers twisting a lock of her hair as he kissed the top of her head. "I'd say a year and a half is a pretty big secret. But maybe a little dirty," he whispered in her ear. "In a good way."

"A very good way," she echoed his sentiments, turning her body to his. She didn't want to think about the past or the future as she slowly unbuttoned his shirt and slid her hand across his chest. Emily knew it was all about to snowball into one giant mess soon enough.

Derek helped her shed the rest of his shirt then reciprocated the favor. Both articles of clothing were lost to the carpet as they moved on to the rest. Her wet tongue caressed his shoulder, her teeth nipped at his bicep. His fingers pawed her belly, the curve of her hip; the mound of her thigh. They explored familiar places and discovered even more new ones. He'd told Garcia he wasn't up for a salsa night. But he and Emily's bodies craved a different kind of dance.

"Don't stop," she moaned, willing the whole of her life to disappear into the warmth of his flesh.

"I love you," he whispered, trying to remove the last few days from his mind's eye; wanting to believe in happily ever after. Derek felt her freeze up on him and knew it was the words. He'd never said them before, never dared. It was a new dance.

"I love you, too," she followed his lead.

* * *

**End **


	56. Fix

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Fix**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily sat on the hard floor, jean-clad legs bent at the knee, brown leather boots tapping lightly against the concrete. A warm gust fluttered the hairs in her low ponytail, the breeze meandering through a large open coil-up door. She glanced around the two-car garage, noticing that Derek kept some things very much in order and others not so much. He had a black Craftsman rolling tool box with everything from a razorblade cutter to an electric drill and bit set. The drawers were neat, tools mostly aligned. But the far corner of his man-cave was a mish-mash of old paint cans, wood trim, miscellaneous door hardware, scrap wallboard, and the list went on.

"Can you hand me the socket wrench?" he asked.

Her attention returned to Derek who was crouched down in front of his precious Harley, hands smeared with grease, tools scattered about the concrete floor all around him. She handed over the item and watched his brows arch, clearly impressed that she'd delivered the right tool to him. "I know things," Emily said.

He chuckled. "I know you know things." Derek began to tighten the bolts he was replacing on the engine's manifold, but he glanced over at her again.

"What?" Emily asked, feeling like she was being scrutinized.

"You look a little perturbed sitting there," he noticed. "So, I guess I'm just waiting for you to come up with some feminist comment about how motorcycles were invented by a guy and all the parts were obviously named by a guy too, because it's called a man-ifold, and not a woman-ifold," he rattled off.

"That last part sounded kind of dirty," she chuckled. "But actually, I was about to complain about the fact that you invited me over to spend some quality time with you this afternoon, and yet all we've done so far is fix your bike," her right hand waved at the item in question. She couldn't lie, though, it was a gorgeous older model, black and chrome with worn leather seats. And she'd enjoyed many a ride with her arms wrapped around his waist, hair whipping in the summer breeze. Still, she had a point to make. "Not exactly my idea of quality time, just for the record."

"Noted," he acknowledged. Derek tightened the last few bolts and made all the final adjustments. "Well, my original plan for the day included a nice long ride together on Harley here. Cruising along the G. W. Parkway, maybe see where else that led us. But, bikes need to be maintained. Otherwise there could be an accident." He rocked upward to his feet, stashed all the tools back in his box and grabbed a rag and some grease-cutting solvent to clean his hands. With that task done, he took hold of the two black helmets he kept nearby. "And I thought you liked riding on the back of this beauty," he said, extending one of the helmets to her.

She smiled, taking the item from him. "Oh, I definitely enjoy riding with you," Emily nodded, confirming her earlier thoughts. And she was willing to admit she'd read his afternoon plans a little wrong. But she had plans of her own, which involved messing with him. "Although, maybe I could try riding in the front sometime while you wrap your arms around _my_ waist," she suggested. "Unless you have a problem with being in that kind of position?"

He swallowed; his throat suddenly feeling very dry as he watched her dark eyes issue the dare. "No… no," Morgan let the words out slowly. "I don't have a problem with trying new positions," he concluded, throwing down a challenge of his own. "Do you have the proper licensure for riding up front?"

"I have a license for anything, darling," Emily drawled in an assuring tone. She closed the gap between them, holding her helmet to one side as she pressed her body against his and leaned in for a kiss. "Front," she whispered against his lips before licking his left earlobe. "Or back…"

His body was flooded by heat, head to toe. But he did his best to stave off that energy for later. Much later, after a nice long ride, a meal, some wine. "Just for clarification purposes, we are still talking about the motorcycle ride? Correct?"

"Sure, if that makes you feel more comfortable. We can stick with that," she winked, kissed him again quickly and then pulled on her helmet, fastening the strap securely under her chin. "Ready?"

Derek watched her straddle his bike and all his coherent thoughts drifted far, far away. "Ready," he agreed.

* * *

**End**


	57. Fish

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of the **_Who We Are_** series.

* * *

**Fish**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

He opened his eyes and rolled over, hoping to drape an arm across her waist; hold her close. Maybe start something despite the late hour. But Derek's leg bumped an appendage that did not feel like it belonged to the woman he was used to finding in their bed. He focused his eyes a little more in the dark and spotted Michelle curled up between them. Morgan sighed, unable to be upset at the child. But he'd been hoping her late night visits would finally come to an end.

Derek gently shook Emily's shoulder, waking her. "Hey, can I take her back to her room?" he asked, inclining his head toward their company.

Emily moaned, annoyed for having been disturbed from her sleep. "Let her stay," she replied.

His eyes rolled toward the ceiling as he flopped onto his back. Morgan barely slept the rest of the night and was immensely grateful for the Sunday off so he could hopefully lounge around all day. He got out of bed before the other two, padded downstairs and brewed some coffee. His lips savored the flavorful drink as he sunk down on the sofa in the living room, propped his feet on the coffee table and leafed through the morning paper for the sports section.

The beautiful woman he loved joined him shortly after, coffee mug in her hands as she tried to cozy up beside him. Emily frowned when he shrugged her off. "What's wrong with you? Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"No," the newspaper fell to his lap. "I was trapped on my side of the bed all night by a nine-year-old, and I didn't sleep very well," Derek concluded.

She smiled sympathetically and leaned her head against his shoulder. Emily was glad to feel his arm drape over her shoulder. "I'm sorry about this, but you did agree that you were on board," she needlessly reminded him.

"Hmm, well I didn't realize exactly how long this sexless voyage was going to last," Derek replied.

"Oh, you poor baby," Emily shook her head. "It has not been…" she glanced over her shoulder just to make sure her niece was nowhere within hearing distance. "Sexless," she finally said. "I've been taking care of business. And Michelle is still grieving. She's still dealing with her trauma over what happened with Margaret. You can't just wave some magic wand and voila, you're suddenly over missing your mother or cured of your nightmares from almost falling off the side of a building."

Morgan groaned, not caring for the way she was making him feel like the big bad wolf. "Trust me, Em. I know it doesn't work that way. I've been there, at least the losing a parent part," he reminded her. "And yes, you have been taking care of business, as you so romantically put it," he kissed the tip of her nose. "But I'd kind of like to make love to you somewhere other than the shower or the bathroom counter with the door locked."

"I don't know how to fix everything," she admitted. "I feel like I'm doing the best I can here, but if you have any suggestions… by all means."

He was glad to finally be having a conversation in which there was mutual discussion about Michelle's welfare. Up to this point he'd been following her lead, thinking she'd want to have full control over Michelle given their biological connection. "Okay, maybe _we_ shouldn't try to fix the problem. Maybe we should ask her to."

"How do you mean?" Emily was curious.

"You know I love you, right?" he asked. Derek watched her nod with a little wariness. "Okay, then I'm going to say a few things here, but keep in mind I'm doing it out of love for you and Michelle. You give in to her too easily," he saw Emily's brows shoot upward, clearly surprised to hear him say such a thing. "I don't think you mean to," he went on. "And I know you just want to protect her and be everything for her right now. But I think she needs to take some responsibility for things, too. So, I suggest we address our concerns about her sleeping habits and see if she has any solutions," he replied.

"You make it sound so easy."

Derek kissed her again. "Maybe it will be," he pulled away and nodded his head in the direction of the stairway.

Michelle descended the stairs in her cotton PJs. She headed straight for the sofa and snuggled up beside her aunt. "Can we have pancakes this morning?"

"Again?" Emily was about to give in, but remembered Derek's words and shook her head in a negative indication. "Why don't we try something else? You're going to get sick of pancakes. Or get sick _on_ pancakes," she chuckled, patting the girl's stomach. "How about some eggs and toast this morning?" Emily made a counter offer.

"Okay," the child easily agreed. "But I get pancakes at least once this week."

Emily looked to Derek for help this time, but he held his hands up. "Maybe," she replied. "But you'll have to help make them," Emily added a caveat to the deal.

The girl nodded her agreement as she got to her feet and grabbed Emily's left hand. "Can we eat now? I'm hungry."

Morgan cleared his throat, eyeing Emily and mouthing the words; be strong. She tried not to laugh at him, even though she appreciated his help. Emily guided the girl back to the sofa by her hand. "Stay here a minute, chaton. Derek and I want to talk to you about something."

"What?" Michelle asked.

"It's about you coming into our room to sleep with us at night," Emily relayed.

"Oh," the girl's eyes fell to the floor. "You don't want me to anymore."

Emily's heart sunk and she wanted to wrap her arms around the child and tell her she could have her way. But she caught Derek's eye again and let out a deep breath to steady herself. "You can still come to us if you're really scared or sad. But do you think maybe there's something you can do that will make you want to sleep in your own room all night?" she questioned.

Michelle's shoulders shrugged. "I don't know."

"Think about it, sweetness," Derek encouraged. "Maybe a book you'd like us to read to you, or if Emily sang that song to you, or a night light," he offered up a few suggestions, hoping to get the ball rolling. But he really wanted the answer to come from her.

"Maybe…" Michelle pondered. "If I had a fish."

"You want us to buy you some more fish?" Emily's brows bunched. "I'm not sure how having more fish down here in your tank will help you sleep."

The child shook her head. "Not down here. Just one fish, in a bowl up in my room," she grew bolder in making the request. "So it's not so lonely in there," she finally got to the heart of the matter. "Mommy used to be in there, and then when she was in your room you would sleep in my room. But now it's just really quiet and maybe having a fish would make it feel like I wasn't so alone."

Emily snuggled up to the girl and kissed the top of her head. "I think that's a great idea."

"So do I," Derek agreed.

"Really?" Michelle smiled. "So, then… can we go to the pet store today and get a fish?"

This time it was Morgan who quickly gave in to the child's wishes. "You bet, right after breakfast."

xxx

Sunday afternoon at the pet store was busier than Derek would have guessed. And as happy as he was that Michelle's suggestion of getting a fish might help her sleep, he wasn't terribly amused by how long the girl was taking to pick out a single beta fish. "I think she's looked at every one of them a dozen times," he whispered to Emily as they mulled around in the fish care aisle.

"At least," Emily had to agree. She grabbed a green plastic plant from the display rack and added it to her armful of fish paraphernalia, which included a small canister of blood worms, another bottle of flake food, water conditioner and some bright blue rocks. Derek was packing the one gallon glass fish bowl around. And all they needed was the fish. Apparently, the perfect fish.

"I'm going back to the dog aisle," Derek finally announced. "There's the cutest golden lab puppy. He's so playful. You wanna come with?"

Emily nodded and told Michelle where they'd be. The girl waved in acknowledgment as she pulled out her cell phone. "Okay, I have it narrowed down to three," she told them. "I think I'm going to take some pictures to send to Ellie and ask which one she likes best."

"Whatever works for you, kiddo," Emily said as she took Derek's hand and let him drag her down the rows of animal products and further into animal territory. "Wow, maybe this is one decision I should make for her," she thought aloud.

Derek chuckled. "Nope, let her do it," he replied. "It's kind of sweet, in a maddening way."

"So, this is what life is like with kids?" she mumbled as they walked past several cages with birds; cockatiels and parakeets, even a lively parrot. "Meandering through pet stores on the weekend," Emily continued as Derek stopped to peer at a bucket full of lop-eared bunnies.

"It's kind of relaxing," he noted as they continued on down an aisle with gerbils and hamsters. They moved to the next row over where cage upon cage displayed lizards, rats and snakes. "Like communing with nature, without having to pack up and go camping."

"Sort of," she enjoyed watching him take careful notice of almost every dog and cat they passed, seeming to greet them without words. Not for the first time in her life Emily realized what a good guy he was, kind to all living creatures, human and animal. They both squatted down in front of the cage with the golden lab pup he'd mentioned earlier. Emily stuffed her fish items into the fish bowl that Derek had placed on the floor and the two of them stuck their fingers through the cage, allowing the puppy to lick them with his moist tongue.

"How you doing, buddy?" Derek asked the animal, scratching behind the pup's ears. He glanced over at Emily and saw the smile on her face. "You like him?"

"Yes," she replied. "But we came here for a fish. We're not walking out with a dog. We don't have time for a dog. Certainly not someone as frisky as this guy," Emily pointed out as the puppy danced around the small confines of his cage. She glanced over to see Derek starring at her with a pouty face. Her hand reached out to squeeze his cheeks between her fingers. Emily looked him in the eye. "No," her head shook.

"Aw, but he's so cute," Derek lamented.

"So are you," she laughed at his silly behavior. "And at least you're house broken."

Michelle snuck up behind them. "I picked one!" she triumphantly declared.

Morgan stood, helping Emily to her feet and grabbing the fish bowl. He watched the purple hued fish swim around in his very small water jar. His frilly dorsal and tail fins swished mesmerizingly as he moved. "You sure he's the right one?" Derek asked.

Emily slapped his shoulder, not wanting the girl to second guess herself and spend another hour in the store. But she was really more worried about Derek spending any more time in the pet store. "She's sure. Let's go."

The girl darted off, skipping toward the check out. "You're a big meanie," Derek playfully stuck his tongue out at Emily.

xxx

"Do you think this is going to work?" Emily asked as she slipped between her luxurious cream sheets.

"I doubt there's any scientific data on fish helping grieving children to sleep," Morgan replied. "But if Michelle thinks it will help, then I think that might be all that's necessary," he guessed. "But just in case it doesn't work, I've got my sweat pants on."

She laid her head against his chest. "How come you're so good at this parenting stuff?"

He shrugged. "I have a pretty fantastic mama," Derek gave most of the credit to the woman. But as he rested his chin against Emily's head and felt the gentle heat of her body against his, he really didn't want to think about his mother any more. "You know, it's still early," he said. "Even if she does join us later, we should still have plenty of time to…" Morgan spoke the rest of his suggestion in a low whisper, kissing her earlobe to punctuate his idea.

Emily needed no further cajoling, giving herself over to him willingly.

The next thing she knew her alarm clock was going off. She swatted the offender and sunk back into the bed beside Derek. He felt nice against her, muscled and warm. Her hands smoothed over his broad chest and traveled downward as she remembered their love making the night before. Emily caught a handful of his naked flesh and realized she was also still very unclothed. Her eyes widened as she sat up and searched their bed for signs of a dark haired, nine-year-old girl. She let out a sigh of relief when she didn't find Michelle there. Emily then tapped Derek's shoulder.

"Just a few more minutes," he groaned.

"No," she persisted until he opened his eyes. Emily smiled as she regarded him. "Michelle's not here."

"Wha…" Morgan blinked away sleep for a moment before realization dawned. "She didn't sleep in here last night?"

She threw back their covers and eyed his goods. "I sure hope not because you are naked as the day you were born," Emily pointed out.

Derek looked down and then back up at her. "So are you," his brows arched suggestively.

"Come on," she jumped out of the bed and threw on her robe. "I want to go make sure she's okay; that she slept all right by herself." Emily tossed his sweat pants onto the bed for him and made a 'hurry up' motion with her hands.

He stood, stretched his arms above his head and yawned. Derek waggled his eyes at Emily as he caught her starring. "Sure you're in such a big hurry there, missy?" he watched her eyes roll and finally pulled on his pants. Morgan then latched on to her waist from behind and trudged along for the ride, leaning heavily against her as she strode down the short hallway toward Michelle's room.

They found the girl in her bed, curled under the comforter. Emily extracted herself from Derek's hold and sat down on the girl's bed. She looked over at the fish bowl on the nightstand and smiled at the beta that was circling his new home, darting around the plant and ruffling the rocks with his tail fins. Emily finally roused the girl. "It's time to get ready for school, chaton," she whispered.

Michelle looked up at her aunt and Derek. "Did I sleep all night in here?"

"You did," Morgan grinned proudly.

Emily pointed to the fish. "So, does the new guy have a name yet?" she asked.

"Um," the girl sat up and looked over at her fish. "I think I'm going to call him Chester. Like the doll mommy had. Is that okay?"

"He's your fish," Emily replied. "You can call him whatever you like. Now get up," she instructed. "We have to get going."

Morgan hung back in the girl's room, watching and listening as Emily directed her niece toward the bathroom. When they were both out of sight and well out of hearing range, Derek leaned down and looked at the beta. "Thank you, Chester," he addressed the fish. "Thank you."

* * *

**End**


	58. Gift

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of the **_Bravery_** series.

* * *

**Gift**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

She focused on the TV screen which was set to their security monitoring channel. Emily watched as the garage door opened. The alarm sounded and then ended a few seconds later. It was Derek's SUV she saw pull in, but she switched to a different camera view just to be sure it was him inside. When she saw him wave, Emily almost laughed. But she remembered she wasn't very pleased with him so she quickly turned the TV and lamp off then snuggled down into their bed, closing her eyes.

Emily heard his footsteps in the hall and saw the stream of light that followed him inside the bedroom. She heard him bump into the nightstand on his side of the bed and then heard the click of a lamp. A small area of the room was illuminated and she could hear his breathing. "Em, you asleep?" he whispered.

"Yes," she called back.

He chuckled softly. "It's kind of early for bed isn't it?"

"Not when I had to deal with a stack of files at work and then came home to Lulu's teething crankiness all evening," Emily responded, keeping her back turned toward him. "Thankfully her tooth finally popped through at about eight-thirty tonight and I just got her down. And Kacey didn't fall asleep until I was five chapters into _The Wind in the Willows_. So, I'm kinda tired and turning in early," she complained while grabbing something off her nightstand. "Kacey made this for you at school," Emily handed it to him without turning around.

Morgan sat down on the bed and smiled at the heart-shaped card. It was red on the outside with smaller white and pink construction paper hearts on the inside. And Kacey's second grade handwriting was curly and punctuated by numerous exclamation points. "Happy Valentine's Day to the best daddy in the whole world," he was touched as he read the words, but also couldn't help laugh. "Did you see she spelled whole, h-o-l-e?"

"I did," Emily replied.

"And all I got her was a box of chocolates," he lamented.

"Great," she groaned. "Just what every, already energetic enough, seven-year-old needs; chocolate."

Derek placed the handcrafted card by his lamp and kicked his shoes off. He scooted closer to his wife and snuggled up behind her. "Well, she sure doesn't need another stuffed animal," he finally replied, hoping to ease the tension he was feeling in the room between the two of them. She didn't reply, lying there stiffly in his embrace. He leaned over to kiss her cheek, but there was still no response. "Hey, why are you being so…"

"What?" she snapped.

"Uh… moody," Derek said. "Growly… almost mean," he went on.

She sighed. "You said you wouldn't be home tonight."

"I know. And I didn't think I would be, but we caught the bomber this afternoon and made it home earlier than expected. I would have called, but I thought it would be fun to make it a surprise," he explained.

Emily was quiet again for a moment. "Well," she finally said. "I was planning to be mad at you for not coming home tonight," she revealed.

He tried not to chuckle. "So, now you're mad that you can't be mad at me?"

"Doesn't matter," her chest heaved an audible sigh. "Valentine's Day is a ridiculous made-up, commercial holiday only invented so card and chocolate companies can sell crap and make money. It's not like we really need a special day to say we love someone or show them how much they mean to us," she concluded.

The words, "Me thinks she doth protest too much," escaped Derek's lips as he reached into his left pants pocket and pulled out a blue velvet box. "So, I guess you don't want this gift I bought for you?" he held the item in front of her.

"Gift?" Emily finally turned her head to face him. Her whole body shifted as she stared at the box.

He pulled it out of her reach. "No, you're right," he grinned. "It is a stupid commercial holiday and I'll just take this back. We'll show those mass producers of Valentine jewelry, stuffed animals and chocolate that we're better than them," Derek concluded.

"Fine," she turned away again.

"Ugh!" he groaned. "You are impossible, woman," Morgan placed the gift-box on her stomach. "You might as well open it because I can't take it back. Not unless someone else wants a ruby encrusted heart with the word LOVE spelled out in diamonds and an engraving that says: I love you, my little snookums."

Her nose wrinkled in disgust and she quickly pried open the box, too curious to see if he was telling the truth. Emily couldn't help smile as she spotted the silver heart-shaped locket. It was about as plain as jewelry could come, no diamonds, not a ruby in sight. And as she turned it over she saw that there wasn't even any kind of inscription. "You're such a liar," she told him.

"Do you think I'm a newbie at this sort of thing?" Derek asked as he pulled the locket free. "It's sterling and not frilly, very practical for my hard-working wife, mother of my children and kick-ass profiler. And inside," he opened the heart to reveal a picture on either side. "Garcia helped me size them to fit."

She saw a picture of the girls on one side and a photo of her and Derek on the other. "It's perfect," Emily agreed, all her pent up frustrations draining away as they finally kissed. She then watched with admiration as he draped the necklace across her chest and clasped it behind her ear. Their lips met again after that; a longer, more passionate union that had both of them groping towards the inevitable.

Derek stopped himself and pulled away from her. He practically leapt from the bed. "I have another gift for you," he said while unbuttoning his dress shirt. The item was tossed onto a nearby chair and then he worked at his slacks, removing the belt first.

Emily let the velvet box fall to the floor as she watched him undress. When he got down to his boxers she let go of a sharp laugh. One hand went over her mouth, hoping not to wake the girls. She stifled more giggles as she regarded his black boxers, which sported a tuxedo design on the front panel. Her heart melted further, wondering how she could even pretend to be mad at him. "I'm sorry, Derek… but I didn't get you a gift," Emily confessed.

He crawled across the bed toward her. "I think you did," Derek whispered as he pulled back the blanket and sheets that had covered her. His eyes roamed the curvaceous form of her body which was hidden beneath a pair of cotton shorts and an FBI-issue t-shirt. "I bet there's a gift for me under there, all I need to do is unwrap it."

A smile sprouted on her face as she pulled him close and let him do just that.

* * *

**End**


	59. Dark

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Dark**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek heard the knock and went straight to answer it. He cursed the small Alaskan town for its lack of peep holes on hotel doors. There wasn't even a chain, just a small twist lock on the door handle. But with their killer still on the loose, he had his gun on hip. In fact, he was planning to keep the weapon on him while he rested. Morgan tried to play off his cautious nature as simply being a good law enforcement officer. The truth was, after everything that had happened to Hotch, Hailey and Jack, Derek had become borderline paranoid.

He finally opened the door and his whole body relaxed when he spotted her. Derek glanced down the dimly lit hallway and quickly motioned her inside. "What's going on?" he asked, figuring she'd come with case details.

Emily shrugged, her eyes darting around the small room with its two queen-sized beds. "Is your… _roommate_ around?" she asked.

His cautious features melted into a smile that creased the skin around his eyes. "Garcia is downstairs pulling an all-nighter," he revealed, wondering where she'd been when the team had paired up and sorted out room assignments.

"So, this co-ed room thing…" she started to question his relationship with Garcia, but trailed off. Emily sighed as she flopped down on the bed with his bag on top. It was easy to discern his bag from Penelope's. The tech had a fairly nondescript bag for traveling with the team, but that didn't stop her from adding a pop of color with a fancy tag and some fancy wording written in glitter. "You and Garcia aren't close like that, are you?"

"You're joking, right?" his smile faded. Morgan was pretty sure he'd never known Emily to be jealous of anything. But if he was completely honest, he'd seen her talk to other men and had felt a pang or two of jealousy himself. "Emily, I… Garcia knows."

Her eyes widened. "She does?"

"Yes," he replied. "I had to confide in someone about all of this," one hand waved between them.

She breathed out. "You know, it's getting a lot harder for me to keep this secret. I was out with JJ and Garcia when we got the call about this case. JJ kept going on about Mick Rawson and how I should pursue that."

"Really?" Derek was intrigued, but not worried. He sat down on the edge of the bed beside Emily, waiting for her to expand on the conversation.

"Yeah, and I said maybe I should just get a cat instead," Emily revealed.

Morgan chuckled. "Nice dodge."

She turned her head to face him. "But it felt very awkward," the words were spoken with a heavy heart. "And now I'm sneaking around in the dark to see you while we're working a case. This is really wrong, isn't it?"

The question gave him pause. "I don't think you and I finding some happiness together is wrong," Derek was quick to put those fears of hers to rest. "And yes, we did agree that we'd be completely professional while on duty. But…" he sighed. "I don't really have a… but. I guess it is wrong."

"It's like JJ keeping Will a secret all that time," she lamented. "This job is so all-encompassing that some days I feel like I have no real life."

He stroked her cheek and kissed her. "You have a life, and I know this is difficult. But it's actually a lot different from JJ and Will. They didn't work together like we do. It is immensely important that this team functions to its fullest potential, otherwise bad guys keep on doing bad things."

"I just wish we could catch a break that lasted longer than a day or two," she lamented.

"So do I, but at least we have Penelope on our side," he informed her.

"Is she?" Emily asked.

Derek nodded, a new smile crinkling his eyes. "And she thinks it's great," he assured her, leaning in to steal another kiss.

Their union came to an abrupt halt when Garcia's frantic screams pierced the night.

They both jumped to their feet, shaken back into the reality of the job. Derek ran into the hall ahead of Emily, taking off without giving her another glance. Panicked as he was about hearing Penelope's screams in the distance, Morgan was grateful for the chaos of doors opening and team members rushing down the hall. He hoped that in that bedlam no one had seen Emily exit his room. As much as they wanted to be together out in the open, their budding romance was best kept in the dark a little while longer.

* * *

**End**


	60. Sick

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Sick**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

All he could see of her when he pushed their bedroom door open was her head. It seemed to be floating in the sea of sheets and blankets covering the bed. "How you feeling?" he asked, stepping further into the room and setting a canvas bag down on the bedside table.

"Like crap," Emily groaned. "But I discovered that if I stay in this position I'm pretty okay. Only problem is I haven't been able to change the TV channel in… I'm not even sure how long it's been. But I've officially renamed that _1000 Ways to Die_ show: One Way Ticket to Stupid Heaven. I also think I'd be an awesome ex-profiler expert on that _Deadly Women_ program. I found out there's something called sexual anorexia. And I even learned how to think off."

Morgan wasn't sure he even wanted to touch that last one, but curiosity won out. "Think off?"

"According to some show called _Strange Sex_, it's a way to reach orgasm all on your own, with your mind," she relayed, turning her head just a little so she could see his face. "I might not even need you any more, hon."

"All right then," Derek grabbed the remote off their night stand and aimed it at the TV. "I'm just going to turn this off for a while. Or possibly forever." He pressed the power button, watched the screen go blank and placed the remote back on the table. Then he sat down on the bed and pressed a hand against his wife's forehead to see if she was still running a temperature. He'd gotten plenty of practice at it when both Kacey and Lulu had been ill last week.

"Did you check on the girls?" Emily asked.

He nodded. "They're fine. Your parents told me they're having fun with them," Derek smiled for her benefit. "I'm assuming that's code for, they're being spoiled rotten."

She looked a little morose even knowing her children were being taken care of. "I've never spent a whole night away from Lu. She's still so little."

"She'll be fine," Morgan assured his wife. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her sick before. Maybe a small bit of a cold, but nothing that had knocked her out of commission the way her current fly bug seemed to be doing. She was normally a pillar of strength. For some reason, seeing her flat-out reminded him of when she and Kacey had been missing. And the thoughts he'd experienced then of wondering if he'd ever see her again. He shook his head to clear those memories, not wanting to even entertain the awful possibility of losing her. "You need a break from everything, including the girls, so you can get better."

"But I miss them," Emily pouted as she struggled to sit up. "I know I complain some days about being strung out between work and mommy duty, but I love them."

Derek smiled. "I know you do," he had a feeling her illness was playing a big part in her lament. Fevers had a way of doing that, he guessed. Morgan helped her sit up, making sure she had plenty of pillows behind her so she was comfy. "Now…" he reached over to grab the bag he'd left nearby. "I brought you some chicken soup from your favorite deli," Derek pulled the soup out. It was still warm, sweating through the plastic container. "I've also got saltines, ginger ale, and vitamin C in every kind of dosage and variety."

Emily watched him array the items on their bed and she smiled, despite how cruddy she still felt. Her head leaned against his shoulder. "I was wrong, I do need you," she whispered as he opened the soup container and nestled it on her lap. He gave her a spoon as well and she slowly brought a small bite to her mouth, blew on it and then swallowed. "But maybe you shouldn't be here. You'll get sick, too."

"I'm made of pretty tough stuff," he replied confidently, kissing her forehead. "I won't get sick."

xxx

Six days later, Derek rolled over and cursed his body for aching absolutely everywhere. He was pretty sure he hadn't been quite so sick since his freshman year in high school. And maybe not even them. In his illness induced state he grabbed the communication device off the nightstand and pressed some random buttons. "Emily?" he spoke into the machine. "Em, where are you?"

"What are you doing?" her voice came from across the room where she was standing in the doorway looking bewildered by his behavior. Emily quickly crossed their bedroom and snatched the item out of his hands.

"I was trying to call you," he looked up to see she didn't seem very amused.

She held the item in front of his face. "This is a baby monitor, not a cell phone," Emily let him know, setting the monitor back on the table. She reached a hand out to feel his forehead again, worry clouding her previous annoyance. "Your fever broke last night, you shouldn't still be this delirious," Emily remarked. Then she finally noticed his pupils were huge. "Derek, did you take something?"

"Um…" he closed his eyes hoping he could concentrate better that way. "I remember waking up last night and taking some Nyquil… and then that other thing," Morgan paused, still trying to crawl through the fog in his head. "And the third thing…"

"Good lord," Emily sat down on the bed beside him. "Why didn't you let me help you?"

"You were sleeping and I didn't want to wake you."

"Well, even over-the-counter drugs are dangerous to mix," she pointed out.

He clung to her hand. "Don't be mad. Remember how good I was when I took care of you when you were sick," Derek reminded her.

Emily cracked a smile, knowing he was still in a bit of a stupor. "Yes, you were very sweet," she acknowledged. "But I was only down for two days. You've been in this bed for a whole week now. And I've been helping Molly disinfect every square inch of the house, as well as keep the girls quarantined from you, in the hopes we don't pass this bug around again."

"Well, obviously I caught something more than the twenty-four hour variety of this flu," he mumbled. "And I was just trying to help you by getting myself better. You know I'm not used to this… being down stuff. I'm supposed to be chasing bad guys and hanging out with my girls on days off. I don't know how to be weak like this. I need to take care of business; take care of my family," he stressed, even as his words slurred a little.

She leaned in to kiss his cheek, despite the earlier risk she'd mentioned of getting sick again. "You are very noble to worry about taking care of all us, and normally you do a very good job of that," Emily assured him. "But sometimes there are moments in life when you need to slow down, rest, and let other people take care of you. Now," she got to her feet. "Be a good boy and stay here while I go get you about a gallon of water to flush out your system." Emily snatched up the baby monitor and carried it off with her, just to be on the safe side.

He smiled weakly as he watched her move toward the door. "Can I have some eggs, too?"

"Sure," she nodded.

"And toast?"

Her lips pursed for a moment, trying not to be annoyed by his behavior. "Yes, I'll make you some toast."

"Can I have apple juice and coffee as well?" he asked.

"Goodness, you're a bigger baby than the girls," she shook her head at him, even though his increased appetite was a good sign. "Yes to the juice, no to the coffee," Emily told him. "I really don't think you need any caffeine in your system at the moment. Now lay there and rest," she demanded in a caring tone.

He waited until she was almost out the door before calling to her again. "I love you, Em."

A sigh escaped her lips as she smiled at him. "I love you too, my overly drugged husband," Emily replied before finally slipping out of the room.

* * *

**End**


	61. Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Alone**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"Ladies and gentlemen, for their first dance together as husband and wife, I present to you: Mr. and Mrs. Derek Morgan!"

Emily glared at the man seated beside her, who she'd married only an hour ago. She was not amused by the announcement just made over the loudspeaker for everyone to hear. And by the look on Derek's face, she had a pretty good feeling it was part or mostly his doing. But it was so damn hard to be mad at him as he stood and extended his hand to her; his black tuxedo tailored to fit every muscular curve of his body.

With all eyes on them, Emily graciously-as-possible took his proffered hand and let him guide her onto the laminated wood dance floor in the banquet hall they'd rented for the reception. "How you doing, Mrs. Derek Morgan?" he winked at her as his left hand grasped her right. His right arm went to her waist, her left hand against his shoulder.

"So that was all you?" Emily didn't give him a second to respond. "I never agreed to take your name," she protested, even while melting against the strong warmth of his body. Emily could still feel everyone's eyes on her and she hated it. "This is why I didn't want to get married."

"Excuse me," Morgan's brows furrowed as he looked down at her.

She immediately altered her statement, realizing her mistake. "I meant the big wedding thing," Emily clarified. "I don't like all of this… spotlight stuff; the attention," she continued to explain her discomfort. "I wish we'd just eloped and were already on our honeymoon."

He moved in even closer, his cheek resting against her temple. "Close your eyes," Derek whispered.

"It might be kind of hard to dance with my eyes closed," she let him know.

"I'll lead you," he assured her. Morgan peeked down at her eyes and smiled when she closed them, glad to know she trusted him so much. "Now," he kept the slow pace of their dance, feet sliding together, her silk dress swishing. "Imagine we're all alone on a beach somewhere, dancing while the ocean waves crash in the distance… our toes sliding though the grainy sand." Derek looked to her face again. "Are you there yet?"

Her eyes opened and her smile grew a little bigger as she nodded. At the moment, she really didn't notice anything in the world beyond the tender embrace and loving gaze of her new husband. "I like being alone on this island with you."

"I do too, Mrs. Emily… uh, Prentiss?" he shrugged.

Emily chuckled at the way he was treading lightly around the name issue. "I like Emily Morgan just fine," she finally let him know. "Just make sure nobody ever calls me Mrs. Derek Morgan again and we shouldn't have any issues."

Morgan kissed her cheek softly. "We're all alone on this island, so I don't think there's any fear of that," he concluded as they continued to dance.

* * *

**End**


	62. Strangers

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Strangers**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily stared at her computer screen, but the black letters were starting to look a little blurry against the white background. She glanced down at the monitor's clock and realized it was almost ten o'clock. That was a lot later than she usually cared to stay at work. The bullpen was empty except for herself; a true reflection of the time. She'd eaten two bags of chips and some Red Vines from the vending machine for dinner, and had consumed way too much coffee for the late hour. But there was something still not right about her writing.

A sound from behind jolted her, which put an even larger wrench in her concentration. She turned to see one of her colleagues enter the bullpen. Derek Morgan slowly strolled toward her. "Trying to get some overtime?" he grinned. "I was just on my way out and saw the light on…" he trailed off, stopping beside her desk and catching the first part of the obvious letter on her screen. "Dear, Mr. and Mrs. Bowman…"

"Morgan, please don't read that," Emily adjusted her body so she covered more of the writing.

"Sorry," Derek quickly apologized. But he couldn't let it drop that easily. "Bowman?" Morgan questioned. "From the case in Reno, the kid who strangled five girls from his high school and left them along the Truckee River," he recalled. "Their daughter was the third victim; Kate Bowman."

It was always surprising to Emily how they could remember so many names and faces. A blessing or a curse of the job, she was never quite sure which. Emily nodded. "I was just…" her right hand waved at the screen and she sighed before revealing a huge part of how she coped with the job. "Sometimes I write letters to the victim's families," Emily revealed.

"Oh," Morgan wasn't sure how to respond to that.

She saved him by diving into a lengthy explanation. "It's just that… I don't know, we come into these people's lives as complete strangers and then we listen to them tell us about their children, or wives, husbands… and I start to feel like I know these people in some small way. And yes, sometimes we catch the killer and help them sleep a little better at night. But most of the time it seems like we haven't really done enough for them, and these letters help me feel like I've gotten some kind of closure. Maybe that's silly. Maybe they just tear them up, throw them away…"

"But writing helps," he said. It wasn't a question but a statement of fact. "I get it, Emily. I really do. I attend funerals sometimes as my way to pay respect to the victims and their families, and to get closure. This is your way of doing that. It's a good thing, for you and for them," he insisted. "I'll leave you too it."

Her eyes watched him walk away, but she really didn't want him to go just yet. "Derek, wait…"

He turned and faced her. "What's wrong?" It wasn't hard to see the mixed emotions etched across her brow. Derek moved back to her desk and leaned against one corner, silently waiting for her to make the next move.

"I can't seem to get this one right," Emily said. "It feels, off… maybe," her left shoulder shrugged.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing toward the screen.

"Sure," she agreed this time when we wanted to read her words.

"Dear, Mr. and Mrs. Bowman… when we spoke in Reno you talked about Kate being upset with you for moving to another new city. I remember listening to you lament the fact that she was very upset with you before her death. I grew up living in a lot of different cities as a child and I hated it every time we had to move. There would be new schools, new friends to be made, and I often had trouble fitting in. More than once I laid my frustrations out to my parents, even telling them I hated them the way Kate told you two. But I always got past that frustration, and I always realized that the one constant I had in all that upheaval was my family. And even as frustrating as it could be at times, I knew they loved me. And I loved them. I'm sure Kate felt the same way."

Derek finished reading the letter she'd composed and he turned to look her in the eye. "You don't need to change a thing, Emily," his head shook a little as he spoke. "It's perfect just the way it is," he let her know. "They won't tear it up."

* * *

**End**


	63. Garden

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of my _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Garden**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Sunlight blanketed endless miles of fertile farmland. Late June in southern Kansas meant that corn fields were already knee-high, some even taller. Their green and golden stalks waved gently in the warm breeze as Emily watched from her front passenger seat in the SUV they'd rented at the airport. Derek was driving while her parents and Michelle sat in the back. She could hear the girl regaling her grandparents with stories about harvest time, and how hard she and her parents had worked to tend their precious corn fields.

Emily recalled the first time she'd been to visit the area, almost six months ago. It had been the middle of winter and dark to boot. She'd seen very little of the countryside, and had been far too worried about her sister to even care about scenery. Now she had time to enjoy the landscape, her eyes taking in everything her sister had seen growing up; vast blue sky and low-laying crops as far as she could focus. Emily could even see the curvature of the earth on the horizon and she supposed it wasn't such a bad place to grow up. It was almost ideal, really. Except that Anna's childhood had been anything but ideal.

She felt Derek's hand on hers and she looked over to see him watching her out of the corner of one eye while he drove. It was almost as if he knew where her thoughts had just wandered and was hoping to pull her back. Emily loved him for that, and for so many other reasons. Even though they were taking Anna to her final resting place, the trip was still meant to be a vacation of sorts. Emily couldn't recall the last time she'd traveled with her parents. And she, Derek and Michelle hadn't ventured further than the park since their New Years trip. But school was out, they had time off from work, and Emily had vowed to have a good time being with those she loved most.

"Almost there," Michelle called to them from the backseat.

Derek smiled as he gave Emily's hand a quick pat before making the last turn. GPS in their rental was guiding him, but Michelle probably could have done the job just as well. He was impressed by how much she still remembered of the area. The SUV finally rolled to a stop at the end of a gravel road. Everyone piled out of the vehicle, glad to stretch their legs after the flight and drive. Emily noticed that the Geuda Springs Cemetery looked different in daylight. All she remembered was stumbling around in the dark and then kneeing with Anna on the cold ground; feeling a small grouping of rocks that had designated Eric's grave. Now she noticed shade trees and grass that was turning golden under the summer sun.

Michelle took her grandmother by the hand, leading her past the old gate and into the cemetery. Emily watched her father follow them while she and Derek trailed behind. She held her sister's ashes, which were encased in a simple wooden box. She knew Anna never would have wanted some ornate urn. And the box was going to be buried beside Eric now, anyhow, so it didn't much matter. Jimmy Turner, the man who lived in the house where Anna had grown up, met the five of them at Eric's grave site.

"Afternoon," he greeted them all, shaking hands and even getting a surprise hug from Michelle.

Emily was still amazed at how friendly the girl remained even after her ordeal with Margaret. She was cautious with strangers, but never seemed afraid. Anna's spirit was strong in the child. "Mr. Turner," Emily spoke as she smiled at the man. "I can't thank you enough for helping with all of this."

"It was no trouble, really," the man replied. "The cemetery is community run, as I told you over the phone when you contacted me. We all do our part, and I sure was sorry to hear about your sister's passing. Lila and I picked out the simplest stone we could find. And my boy, Tyler, carved the names. He's got real talent for stonework," Jimmy waved a hand at the headstone residing above Eric's grave and the hole that had been dug for Anna's ashes.

The stone was a rough gray slab with just two names and a decorative '&' symbol between them. Emily had considered putting Eric Ballard and Anna Prentiss, but neither of those seemed really fitting. And in the end she'd chosen the simplest thing; Eric and Anna. Not last names, just the names of the two kids whose love for one another had saved their hearts from being corrupted. Jimmy took several steps away from the area, allowing the family to have their moment.

Everyone stood around the graves, allowing Emily to place her sister's ashes. Emily went to her knees, which were bare and peeking out beneath the hemline of her skirt. The grass was much drier than it had been in January, but her memories of seeing Anna there were just as vibrant as that night. She delicately situated Ann's box into the shallow hole and closed her eyes for a moment. Back on her feet seconds later, Emily stood beside Derek. He wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple.

"You okay?" Morgan asked.

She nodded. "Better than I thought I'd be," Emily replied as she watched Michelle sit down in front of her parent's final resting place.

The child talked to them as if they were right there listening to her. Emily couldn't help notice that her parents were holding hands as they stood watching their granddaughter. There were no tears, though. Most of those had been shed forty years ago, and two months ago. Her parents actually looked younger and freer than Emily had ever known them to be. With the weight of years of secrets and lies lifted from their shoulders they were able to live, laugh and enjoy the joys of being grandparents.

All of them took turns sprinkling handfuls of dirt over Anna's box of ashes. No words were spoken over her grave. They'd all been said at her memorial in DC. Jimmy finished filling the hole and then addressed the group. "I don't mean to impose on you all, but my wife, Lila, wanted you to know you're welcome to come out to the farm if you'd like. We've got some fresh lemonade and it might be nice to cool off before you head back to town."

"That's very kind of you, Mr. Turner, but…" Emily wasn't able to finish when her mother interrupted.

"The farm?" Elizabeth questioned. She looked to her daughter rather the man who'd made the offer. "It's the place where Anna… grew up?"

"Yes," Emily answered.

Elizabeth took a deep breath. "I'd like to go there."

"I'll show you the room that was mine," Michelle sounded excited about returning. As they walked back to the SUV, the girl took her grandmother's hand again and rattled off a list of other things and places on the farm she wanted to show both her grandparents.

Emily looked to her father. "Do you think she'll be okay seeing that place?" she asked him. "Do you think you will?"

Joseph stepped forward and kissed Emily's cheek. "We'll be fine, pumpkin," he assured her. "You need to stop worrying so much about us."

xxx

Lila Turner wore a long green skirt and white blouse with an apron fashioned over the outfit. It kind of reminded Emily of the way Anna had been dressed the first day they'd met at the BAU. It was hard to believe that day had taken place less than a year ago. It felt like a lifetime had already passed since then. Mrs. Turner poured lemonade for all her guests and passed on her condolences for the woman she'd met only briefly over the winter. Everyone sipped their drinks, grateful of the cool liquid and hospitality. It seemed Anna's influence in their lives was still very much alive, watching over them and connecting them from beyond the grave.

"I… uh, if it's not too forward of me," Lila spoke as the last bit of lemonade was downed. "Would you all take a walk with me?"

Michelle was the first to eagerly follow the kindly woman out the back door. The rest of them trailed along and discovered a huge garden growing about thirty feet beyond the old farm house. "That's where the big barn was," the girl said as she dashed around the garden's perimeter examining all the abundant growth.

Emily noticed the garden mostly consisted of flowers, large yellow-orange sunflowers with brown centers, white daisies, pink hibiscus and other purple and orange wildflowers that Emily couldn't identify. There were also several varieties of native grasses. The ensemble had been intricately woven together with great care. The bright colors and liveliness of it all instantly made her think of Anna and her sister's, almost always, sunny disposition. "It's lovely," Emily told the woman. "Thank you for sharing this with us.

"Well, Jimmy and I decided to build the new barn in a different location," Lila replied. "There was something about this site that made me think it needed some life cultivated in it. And it actually worked out better for us putting the new barn further east," she paused a moment and weaved her way through the middle of the garden. When she returned a few moments later, Lila handed Emily a small tin box.

The box had a hinge on one side and Emily pried it open. It creaked a little and was rusted inside and out. Emily's breath hitched as she peered at what was laying inside. "This is…" she sighed, feeling tears well even though she thought they were all gone. "It's Anna," she finally said, easily identifying the girl in the photo, even though Anna couldn't have been more than a teenager. There was a boy next to her, about the same age. His green eyes instantly pegged him as Michelle's father.

"I found that buried here when I was preparing the land," Lila revealed. "My guess is that it must have been hidden in that cellar."

Elizabeth joined Emily, as did the others. They all passed the Polaroid around, regarding the unbelievable smiles on the faces of two children who'd spent a lifetime being abused. Emily realized there was something else in the bottom of the tin box. It was a folded piece of paper wrapped in plastic. She carefully pulled the paper out of the bag and unfolded it. She read the words aloud, the text written in a blocky yet swooped handwriting that she recognized from Eric's journal.

"Today was a good day…" Emily spoke, gulping down a swell of sorrow that she didn't know had been lurking so close to the surface. "Anna and I had to walk to town with Maggie today, but thankfully she left us alone at the library for a short time while she shopped. We returned our old books, checked out new ones and then sat on the library steps waiting for her to retrieve us. The thought crossed our minds that maybe we could try to run away. We've tried before, but she always finds us. So we waited.

"But there was something going on down the street just a block away. We ventured over there. It was something called a street fair. A kind woman had to explain it to us and she gave us an odd look, obviously wondering why we didn't know what a street fair was. She said she took photos, instant photos, and that people would dress up in costumes and she would photograph them for fun. She asked if we wanted a photo, but we told her we didn't have any money.

"She must have sensed something was different about us, because she offered to take our picture for free. We could even dress up in any costumes we wanted. But Anna and I both agreed we just wanted a picture the way we were. So she took it and gave it to us. She tried to ask our names, ask where we lived. I think she knew something was wrong, but Maggie found us then and started yelling at her. Thankfully Anna had already hidden the picture in the pocket of her skirt.

"We took it out again later that night and agreed we couldn't keep it, because we knew Maggie would eventually find it and destroy it. Maggie left early today for church, and Eli is working in the barn, so I decided to write this note and Anna found a box to bury it and our picture in. We don't know if we will be alive in ten years, or even ten days from now. So we wanted to write this and burry it so that someday someone might know that a boy named Eric and a girl named Anna lived here, and we were happy together on this day."

No one spoke for a long time after that. Michelle explored the garden again, picking a few flowers at Lila's insistence. "Maybe you could take some flowers to my mom and dad sometimes," the girl suggested to the woman.

Lila nodded her agreement. "I'd be honored."

Emily placed the photo and note back in the box and closed it. She handed it to her mother. "You should keep it."

"I…" Elizabeth faltered. "No," her head shook as she went to Lila. "They left it here, and with your permission, I think it should stay here; where they were happy that day."

"Of course," Lila replied, taking the box with both her hands. She handled it with care and walked to the center of the garden. Lila dug a small hole with her hands. The woman buried it there, smoothing the dark earth back over the top of it.

The five travelers said their goodbyes and got back into the overheated SUV. "Can we go to the library where my mom and dad used to take me?" Michelle asked. "Before we go back to the city, please?" she politely made her request.

"I'd like that," Joseph was the first to respond.

"So would I," Liz agreed.

Derek smiled as he reached over and took Emily's hand in his. "And you?" he asked.

She smiled as well, happy that they'd all uncovered another small piece of Anna's multifaceted life. Emily was even happier that near strangers had created an entire garden in honor of a woman they'd barely known. Just another way in which a boy named Eric and a girl named Anna had influenced all of their lives for the better. "I think we should keep this tour rolling," Emily put in the final vote of agreement.

* * *

**End**


	64. Friends

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of the _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Friends**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The late August sun resided high in the afternoon sky as he maneuvered his SUV out of the parking lot. Derek slipped his sunglasses on and turned right into the flow of traffic, headed in the opposite direction of home. He peeked in the rearview mirror and eyed the girl buckled up in his back seat. Their bicycles were stowed further back, muddy from the morning drizzle that had rained down on them. The sun had since dried out the day and there wasn't a cloud in sight. "So, you really want to see my house?" he asked the child.

Michelle nodded. "Yes, please," she politely replied, smiling to add sincerity to her request.

His eyes narrowed a little in thought as he continued to watch her. "You never asked to see it before," Morgan noted, curious about her sudden interest in the house he owned, which was still in a state of remodel. He hadn't been able to touch it much the last few months.

She shrugged. "You live with me and Emily so I didn't even know you had a house until you mentioned it a few days ago."

"True enough," Derek nodded. That living arrangement had never been formally made, but it was rare that he didn't spent most of his off time from work at Emily's place with the two ladies he loved. He drove through the Saturday afternoon traffic following the rout to his house, which was about twenty blocks west of Emily's place, and actually a little closer to their favorite park. When he pulled to a stop at the curb in front of the old house, Morgan knew something was up. "Okay, sweetness, you wanna tell me what's really going on?"

"What do you mean?" Michelle asked, unbuckling her seatbelt. She glanced out the window. "Is this it? I like it, it's very cute."

Derek took a moment to regard the place. He was still enamored by the Craftsman features; a side gable roof, two large dormers up front, the exposed rafter tails, cedar shake siding on the gables and dormers, heavy stone column bases and a porch that ran the length of the front facade. Cute was not exactly the word he'd use to describe the fixer-upper. Rustic and cozy would be his choice, but he smiled at her enthusiasm. "Your aunt put you up to this, didn't she?" Derek asked as he spotted Emily's car down the street, not to mention a few other vehicles he recognized. "It's not my birthday any time soon, so what's with all the secrecy?"

The girl shrugged again. "I'm not supposed to say," she finally relayed the fact that she knew what was going on. Michelle opened her door and hoped out onto the sidewalk.

Morgan exited the vehicle and joined the girl. He accepted her answer and they walked together up the short path to the porch. Derek turned the doorknob and wasn't surprised to find that it was unlocked. Michelle stepped inside first and he followed after her, moving through the entry, past the den, laundry and powder room before spilling out into the kitchen and living area at the back of the house. He spotted Rossi first off and was more than a little shocked. "What the heck are you doing here?" he asked his colleague.

Dave turned around. "Hey, you're already here," he observed, shooting Michelle a quizzical glance. "I thought we were going to get some kind of notice of your arrival."

"I couldn't call," Michelle replied. "And I tried to text, but he kept watching me," she explained, pointing to Morgan. "He knew something was going on."

"And now maybe someone can tell me what the heck _is_ going on here?" Derek finally asked. He couldn't help notice Rossi was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, both of which looked more than a little worn. And he was pretty sure the man's hands looked dirty, or possibly covered in some sort of brown paint. That's when his senses finally took over and he smelled the paint. It was not a dry, lingering smell from when he'd last painted, but a fresh-paint smell. Then his eyes fell upon the kitchen walls and he noticed they were the perfect shade of green; a color he hadn't been able to pick in all the time he'd owned the place.

"Crap, you're here," Emily said as she walked down the stairs and found Derek standing there in the middle of the room.

Derek frowned. "That's a lovely greeting."

She smiled apologetically and moved in closer so she could plant a quick kiss on his lips. Her hair was pulled back in a tight knot, her jeans were splattered with dry paint and her hands had flecks of green on them. "I wanted to create more of a fan-fare for your entry," Emily turned slightly to eye her niece.

Michelle's hands were held aloft. "I can't do everything," she complained good-naturedly. "I'm only nine," the girl concluded.

Emily kissed Michelle atop her dark head of hair. "It's okay, chaton," she replied with a smile. "You did good distracting him with the bicycle ride, and getting him here."

"And yet I still don't know what's going on here," Morgan pointed out.

Seconds later Hotch came down the stairs with Jack hot on his heels. The rambunctious six-year-old boy jumped down the last few risers and rushed to where Michelle was standing. He stared up at her with a grin plastered to his face. "Daddy and I painted the upstairs bathroom blue," he told his friend. "Do you wanna see?"

"Sure," Michelle eagerly skipped up the stairs beside the boy.

Hotch shook Derek's hand when the kids took off. And JJ and Will joined the group from outside. Morgan noticed that they'd entered through the back patio door and their pant legs were soaked. "Not to sound mean or anything here, but what are you all doing roaming around my house and yard?"

"We…" it was Garcia's voice that answered from behind him. She strolled through the front entry with Kevin in tow. The two of them had casual clothes on and were carrying bags full of food. "Are all here to have ourselves a little work party," she revealed. "And I've brought refreshments!" she gleefully declared, carrying the bags into the kitchen and setting them on a counter. She and Kevin then proceeded to pull out sandwiches, chips, soda, cold beer and apples.

The others, all looking famished, went to grab snacks. But Derek remained rooted to his spot as Emily moved in closer and kissed him again, hoping to quell any anger that might be brewing over the fact that she'd arranged for the work party. "Do you like the green I picked?" she waved a hand at the kitchen walls, another attempt at distraction.

He finally smiled. "It's perfect," Derek agreed as he took her by the hand and guided her outside to the back patio. He'd been hoping for some privacy from the others, at least privacy in the form of not being overheard, because the glass patio doors didn't leave them much visual privacy. They settled down on the lawn, legs stretched out in front of them as the summer sun splashed against their skin. He noticed the wet patio and realized it had been power-washed, cleaned of all the old moss and grime. The hedges along the west wall had been cut back and the lawn was freshly mowed. "You arranged all of this, didn't you? This work party," Morgan asked.

Emily nodded. "You're not mad, are you?" she asked, still trying to gauge his mood. "You've talked about selling this place, but I know you haven't had much time lately to work on finishing things up here. And you've done so much for Michelle, my parents and I these last several months. I wanted to do something for you, to help you."

Morgan leaned toward her and their lips met briefly. "You didn't need to repay me for helping you and your parents and Michelle. That's what family does for each other."

She smiled, touched by his kind words. "You know I love you, right?"

"I do," he replied, kissing her again; softly, lovingly.

Their moment together was brief as the back door opened and Michelle came jogging out toward them. She easily positioned herself on Derek's lap as her questioning eyes flicked back and forth between the two adults. "I really like this house," she told them. "Why don't we live here?"

That question took Emily by surprise. "Well, because I thought you liked living at my place. There are lots of memories there of your mom," she said.

"I have memories of my mom in here," Michelle pointed to her head. "And here," her hand moved so that it was covering her heart. "I left the farm where I was born and had memories of my mom and my dad, but I still carry those with me too," she explained as her eyes darted around the grassy landscape and the large evergreens further back by the detached garage. "This place has a big back yard. I could plant a garden with flowers like the one Lila created in Kansas. And I could have carrots, too. And I'd have a bigger bedroom. I saw one upstairs that I like. I'd have room for more fish and maybe bunk beds so Ellie could visit," she rattled off.

"Michelle!" Jack called out to his friend from his spot in the open doorway. "There's chips and soda, do you want some?"

The girl jumped to her feet and sprinted back toward the house, leaving her aunt and Derek without another word. Morgan smiled as he watched her go, admiring the way she and Jack had become such good friends. That thought brought Derek's head around to his friends and what they were doing for him. They'd all come over to help him on their day off. He couldn't have been more grateful. His grin expanded as he caught Emily about her waist and tackled her onto her back so they were lying on the grass. It reminded him of the afternoon they'd laid in the park together, trying to block out the rest of the world. "So, what do you think about what Michelle said?" he asked. "About living here?"

A small sigh escaped her lips. "I guess with the way Michelle clings to that cell phone of hers - texting Ellie all the time - I kind of forget that she spent her first years on a farm. She likes being outside and it would be great for her to have a backyard."

"So, your answer is…" Derek prompted her again.

"I don't know," she shrugged. "Is there an offer being made?"

Derek chuckled at her attempt to be coy, but he humored her. "Would you and Michelle like to live here in this house with me?"

Emily smiled, turning so that their faces were inches apart. She didn't even care that everyone in the kitchen could see them in the back yard. Their friends were more than that, they were practically family. "This is the house where we first made love," she reminded him just before their lips met. He kissed her softly, passionately. Emily wondered if the thrill of kissing him would ever wear off. It hadn't yet and she certainly hoped it never would.

"Is that a yes?" he asked again.

"Yes," she echoed.

Minutes later they rejoined the group of dedicated workers in the kitchen who were finishing up their lunch and making plans to get some more plumbing and painting tasks done after their break. "Once we're done here you shouldn't have any trouble selling the place," Hotch said, taking a sip of his soda. "The location and this lot size, even with the economy the way it is, I'm sure you'll get a good price. It's a beautiful place."

"It is a great place," Derek nodded. "But I just decided I'm not selling the house after all. Emily, Michelle and I are going to live here."

"We are?" Michelle abandoned her snack and her seat at the counter next to Jack. She leapt into Morgan's welcoming arms. "Really, we are?"

A nod came from Emily. "If you want to," she searched for a final answer from the child, even though she had feeling she already knew what Michelle's reply would be.

"Yes!" the girl exclaimed.

* * *

**End**


	65. View

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of the _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**View**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily walked across the empty living room toward the window. She could hear the echo of her footsteps as they resounded through the barren place. Even though she was excited to be starting over somewhere new, it made her a little bit sad to think of giving up her place. Her memories of Anna were strong in the condo. Her sister teaching her how to make pancakes in the kitchen, both of them having heart-to-hearts in the living room. Hanging out in the bedroom with Michelle, watching old movies and eating popcorn.

But the photographs of those memories had already been packed away in boxes that were winging their way just a few blocks away to their new house; a house that already held some happy memories for her, Derek and Michelle. Emily still couldn't seem to pull herself away from the window just yet, though. She was standing there looking out when he came up behind her and wrapped his arms about her waist. His chin rested on her shoulder, the weight of his body pressed against her backside.

"The last boxes are stowed in my SUV," Derek informed her. "Whenever you're ready to go, I'm ready."

"I love this view," she whispered, starring down at the sunny vista of DC where the Washington Monument stood tall and proud in the center of it all. "555 feet and still the world's tallest stone obelisk," Emily noted. "Built 126 years ago," she added. "Obviously not as impressive as say, the Great Pyramid of Giza, which was built thousands of years ago. But…"

"Thank you for that history lesson, Dr. Reid," Morgan teased her.

She grinned, not at all offended by being grouped with the young man who was a very good friend of hers. "Actually, if I was Reid I would have noted that the Washington Monument is 555 feet 5-1/8 inches tall."

"Okay, Miss Smarty-pants," Derek laughed. But he recalled seeing her on several occasions seated in the dark living room starring out at the structure, or standing as she was now and regarding the monument as if it were a part of a meditation routine or something. "I've always been surprised you like it so much, given its obvious phallic nature," he noted.

"Yes, there is that," Emily nodded. "Tall stone obelisk designed by a man, in honor of a man. Definitely phallic," she agreed. "But it's a symbol of the strength of this country and the people who populate it. I kind of associate it with the whole 'United We Stand' motto," Emily shrugged. "I'm going to miss it; the view and this place. I had a home here with Anna and Michelle, then you and Michelle," her tone turned from slightly patriotic to very melancholy.

He kissed the warm skin behind her ear and let her have the moment. Derek knew it wasn't about cold feet, just memories that were hard to let go of. He had plenty happy memories in the place as well. "You still have Michelle and me," he reminded her. "The three of us are gonna be together for a long time in our new place. And we'll have new views to enjoy from our home, most importantly the view of our backyard. The trees, sunrise, sunsets, stars, and of course Michelle's garden," Derek concluded.

"I know," Emily replied, looking forward to those new views. "It's still hard to let the past go."

"But you are looking forward to the future?" he asked.

"Very much," Emily nodded.

Derek turned her around and kissed beneath her earlobe, along her jaw line, and then down her neck. "Maybe we should say a proper goodbye to this place," he whispered, lips moving to her other side to start the process all over again. "Michelle went with Hotch and Jack. No one will notice that we're missing from the unpacking party for at least a half hour."

She smiled, knowing exactly where his tender ministrations were leading. "Silly me, I thought it was _new_ homes that were meant to be christened, not old ones?" Emily questioned his backward methodology.

"Oh, don't worry," Morgan replied as his hands were poised to remove her shirt. "We'll have ourselves a private christening party later tonight in the _new_ place," he promised.

Emily chuckled as she reciprocated his desires, making love with him for the last time in the empty apartment.

* * *

**End**


	66. Surprise

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is part of the _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Surprise**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"Hey, sweetness," Derek descended the stairs and called to the nine-year-old who was seated at the kitchen counter, legs swinging as she ate a turkey and cheese sandwich. "Have you, by any chance, seen my favorite grey dress shirt?" he asked the child. "The one with the dark pin stripes," Morgan added more detail to his inquiry.

She shook her head. "Nope," Michelle answered.

"Hmm…" he harrumphed, trying to remember when he'd last seen it. "Your aunt organized our closet when we moved in and now I swear I can't find anything. I was planning to wear that shirt to work tomorrow," Derek lamented.

The girl giggled softly. "You're funny, Derek. I don't know any guys who plan what they wear the night before."

"Oh, you think that's funny do you?" he said, creeping closer until he was tickling her underarms. Michelle laughed and squirmed so much she practically slid off the bar stool, but he helped her sit up straight again. Morgan glanced at his watch. "Here's another question for you. Do you know where your auntie ran off to this morning?"

Michelle shrugged. "Nope, she didn't say."

"Uh, huh," Derek sighed. "And how about the new package of Oreo cookies we bought yesterday, do you know where those are?"

"In the pantry," she replied. "They're on the third shelf up, over to the right hand side between the cereal and the pasta."

He laughed. "I like how your brain has GPS positioning of the cookie location, but you have no clue where my shirt or your aunt are." His head shook, but then he glanced out the living room windows and spotted Emily pulling his SUV into the garage at the far end of their yard. She emerged a minute later and moved along the concrete walkway toward the patio entry. Derek was there to greet her, opening the door. "So, the guilty shirt-hiding party has returned," he said.

Emily's brows bunched together as she moved past him, dropped her purse on the kitchen counter and kissed Michelle's cheek. "The what?" she finally asked

"Where've you been?" he questioned, switching topics. "I thought we were going to the park this afternoon."

"We still can, later," she smiled, catching Michelle's eye. "But first, I have a surprise for you. Actually, two surprises."

Morgan looked to the girl who was grinning openly now. "You did know where she was. The two of you keeping secrets from me all the time is not very nice," he pretended to be upset with them, even though he wasn't.

"I only know about one surprise," Michelle defended herself.

"Sure, like I believe you," Derek teased the girl. "So, what sort of surprises?" he finally asked, curiosity winning out.

"Follow me," Emily crooked a finger at Morgan and beckoned him outside.

Derek obeyed her order and he and Michelle both trailed after Emily toward the garage. The large roll-up door was still open and Emily went to the rear of the SUV. She opened the back door and revealed a large tan colored animal carrier inside. Morgan's eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas morning as he spotted the golden lab in the carrier. "You didn't," he whispered, going to the cage and unlatching it.

The frisky pup leapt into Derek's arms, licking every inch of face that he could reach. "I can't believe you bought him after all," he said to Emily as he cuddled the puppy that'd grown more than twice as big since they'd seen him at the pet store a few months ago. "He is the same guy we saw before, isn't he?"

"Yep," Emily reached out to pet the dog. Michelle did the same, wearing a happy smile on her face.

"You knew about this," Morgan pointed an accusing finger at the girl.

Michelle laughed. "It was a surprise, you aren't supposed to tell surprises," she replied. The girl giggled when the puppy licked her nose. She'd always been more partial to sea animals, but she already liked the dog a lot. "He needs a name," she observed.

Emily nodded in agreement as she looked to Derek. "He's your dog, you get to name him," she pronounced.

"I'm gonna call this guy, Campbell," he easily picked a name for the pet.

"Like, the soup?" Michelle asked.

"No," Emily chuckled knowingly. "Like the book," she caught Derek's eye and watched him nod. Kurt Vonnegut had been one of the first things they'd bonded over years ago, and Derek's favorite book by that author was _Mother Night_, with Howard W. Campbell Jr. as the book's main character. She pressed a kiss against his lips. "Sometimes I actually forget there's a little nerd in you," she grinned happily.

Morgan found a green leash in the cage and snapped it to the dog's collar. Then he let the puppy down so he could explore a little. Campbell darted around the area in front of the garage, sniffing at every small thing he came across. Derek crouched down and called to the pup. "Come back here, Campbell," he beckoned. The dog raced over to Morgan for another round of licking and petting.

"He already knows his name," Michelle laughed, getting down on her knees to play with Derek and the puppy.

"So," Emily remained standing, hands on her hips as she looked down at the three of them. "Don't either of you want to know what your second surprise is?" she asked.

Derek looked up first. "Hmm?" he wasn't quite sure that he'd heard her right. "Oh, the other surprise. I can't imagine anything better than this little guy."

"Well, then maybe I should take it back," Emily shrugged, moving toward the SUV. She latched the animal cage shut and then pulled the whole unit out before closing the back door of the vehicle. Derek and Michelle were still preoccupied by the dog, so Emily went to retrieve the second surprise from the front of the SUV. "Seriously, you two," she finally called to them again as the surprise stood beside her. "Are you even going to ask what it is?"

"What is it?" Morgan responded even though he didn't look up, still concentrating on the golden lab. "I'm going to have to build you a fence," he spoke to the dog. "So then you can have the whole yard to run around in. You'll like that, won't you?"

"It's me," a voice spoke up; the voice of their surprise, the thing Derek and Michelle seemed not to care about until it spoke.

Michelle spun around first and laid eyes on her best friend. "Ellie!" she squealed, rushing to the older girl and hugging her tightly. "What are you doing here? I can't believe you're here, how long are you staying? I want to show you my new room and oh…" Michelle trailed off for a second as she pointed to the dog. "This is Campbell."

"I know," Ellie smiled. "I went to pick him up with Emily after she got me at the airport."

"You have no idea how good it is to see you, kiddo," Derek got to his feet, keeping hold of the leash as he hugged their young visitor. "But what are you doing here?" his question was aimed at both the girl and Emily.

Ellie bent over to pet the rambunctious puppy that was sniffing her shoes. "Well, my foster parents are adopting this little boy from China and they had to go over there to finalize all the documents and stuff. They said I could go with them, or I could come out here if it was okay with you guys. So, I called Emily to see if it was okay and if maybe we could make it a surprise. Now, here I am," she shrugged.

"She's staying for two weeks," Emily added to the story. "Until school starts back up after Labor Day."

"Can I show her my room?" Michelle asked.

Emily nodded. "Sure, go on up. I'll bring Ellie's bags in later," she told the girls, even though they were already half-way to the house when she finished. "I think they're happy."

"Definitely," Morgan agreed as they moved toward the grassy area of their back yard and let Campbell run around some more. "I just wish I'd known Ellie was coming, I would have taken some time off to spend with her."

"I already arranged for you to have the next two weeks off," Emily let him know with a smug grin. "Guess that's surprise number three."

"Seriously?" he sat down beside her. "We can't really take that much time off together, can we?"

Her head shook. "Unfortunately, no," Emily pulled a few dandelions from the lawn as she sat there watching the puppy explore his new yard. "I only managed for you to have the time off. I still have to work," she revealed. "Someone's got to make some money now that we have a mortgage and a dog. Which means you and the girls are going to have two weeks to teach Campbell all about being house broken, and to sit, roll over… all that good stuff."

"In two weeks? Not likely," Derek scoffed, knowing it would take longer than that before the dog outgrew his puppy stages and was able to obey those kinds of commands. "So, what happened to the declaration you made about us not having time for a dog?"

She shrugged. "We have a house now, and I remember seeing how disappointed you were that I said no to taking this guy home with us," Emily rubbed the puppy's belly as he rolled on his back and tried to attack her hands. "Michelle can take him to my parents place when we're on a case."

"Oh, yeah? You run that one by them yet?" he asked.

"Not exactly," she admitted.

Derek chuckled, reaching over to press his hand against the back of her neck, drawing her in closer. Their lips met, warm, soft, welcoming and familiar. When they broke apart his hand stayed at her neck. "You do know you're the best girlfriend ever, right?"

"Yep, I do know that," Emily agreed cheekily.

They kissed again, but someone else joined in, wagging his tail as he licked their faces. "Campbell!" they both exclaimed at the same time before dissolving into laughter.

* * *

**End**


	67. Date

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is a continuation of my _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Date**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily and Derek were seated beside one another at the dinner table. Dirty plates and utensils were still scattered on the surface as the two girls stood on the other side with their cardboard displays. Two large boards depicted a bright blue sea with fish and whales, sharks and dolphins. Then there were two large orca whale cut-outs, painted perfectly in white and black details. Michelle held one of them and Ellie the other. One very distinctive characteristic of the two whale cut-outs was that they were each wearing a pink tutu.

"So, this is how the Ballerina Balene show will start," Michelle said.

Derek recalled how quiet she'd been the first day he'd met her less than a year ago in the BAU room. He also remembered the way she'd been very friendly with him the very next day as they'd spoken in Emily's kitchen. That was the first spark of the theatrical child he now watched putting on a production with her best friend. Ellie was still rather quiet, always reserved and polite around him and Emily. Only when she was tucked away in Michelle's room did he hear them laugh and carry on at length.

Michelle made her whale puppet dance and flip across the painted background. Ellie did likewise, mirroring her friend's actions. They had a whole series of tricks for the whales to perform, all of which took nearly twenty minutes. And when they finished, Emily and Derek clapped and laughed. They were both very impressed by the whole presentation. Afterward the girls helped clear the table and then took their puppet show props back up to Michelle's room.

"Those two are very creative," Emily remarked as Derek handed her the last dish. She gave it a quick rinse to remove a large bit of dried food and then placed it in the dishwasher.

Morgan filled the dishwasher with liquid soap, closed the door, started it up and then leaned against the counter with arms folded across his chest. "I know," he agreed. "I just hope they can hold on to this momentum of theirs and follow through with their dreams of working at Sea World some day." Derek turned to Emily and smiled. "I remember visiting a fire station with my first grade class when I was six. That was it for me; I wanted to be a fireman after that. I dressed up for Halloween that year as a fireman; I talked about it non-stop and even got a metal fire truck with a working latter for Christmas."

"Really?" Emily chuckled, picturing him as a little boy playing with a toy fire truck.

"Oh, yeah," he nodded, a far-away look in his eyes. "But then I went to work with my dad one day that following spring and I wanted to be a cop after that."

Her smile turned a little sad at the mention of his father. "At least that dream never died," she noted.

"Nope," he dropped his arms and pushed away from the counter. "Got a little sidetracked by my football career in college, but I guess I blew out my knee for a reason."

"I'm glad you did," Emily replied. "Well, not glad you hurt yourself, but glad you got back on a track that led you to the BAU," she noted with a smile.

"Me too," his hands went to her waist, about to kiss her when Campbell came bounding into the kitchen, tail wagging back and forth like crazy. Derek squatted in front of the puppy, though it was hard to think of him like that due to his size, which seemed to have doubled in just a week and a half. But the fact that he kept chewing things and piddling on the floor every now and then certainly reminded them of his puppy status. "Sit, Campbell," he instructed. The dog did as told. "Good boy," Derek rewarded him with a behind-the-ear scratch.

"Not bad," Emily was actually impressed by how well the dog was learning. "He's a smart guy," she added, getting down on the floor to join Derek in some puppy appreciation. "Maybe for Halloween this year we can paint some black spots on him and make him your fire dog," she chuckled.

"Very funny," Morgan leaned over and stole the kiss he'd been intending moment ago. He noticed the time on the microwave clock and got to his feet, pulling her along with him. "We need to get ready," he told her.

Emily's eyes widened. "Ready for what?"

"It's a surprise."

"Oh, no…" her head shook. "I don't like surprises."

Derek laughed at her comment. "Okay, so you can surprise me twice in the last month, but I can't reciprocate?"

"Those were good surprises," Emily defended.

There was no denying that, Morgan thought. "And this will be a nice surprise too. It's just a little Friday date night, so the two of us can have some alone time away from the girls and the puppy," he revealed just a small bit of his plan and hoped it would be enough.

"Does it involve leaving the house?" she questioned. "Because I'm not letting the girls stay here alone, they're too young."

He also heard the unspoken words of worry in her tone, the ones about them both having suffered horrible ordeals in the past year and a half. "Don't worry, I've got it covered," he assured her. As if on cue, there was a knock at the front door and Derek went to open it, Campbell on his heels. Morgan had to hold the dog at his side as he opened the door to his friend and colleague. "Hey, Reid, come on in," he welcoming the younger man.

"Reid?" Emily was shocked to discover that Morgan's choice of babysitter was their favorite genius. But she smiled to see him and motioned him back into the main living area of the house. He'd been off visiting his mother when she'd arranged the work party, but he'd been there to help them move so he was familiar with the house. But when Campbell jumped on him, Reid seemed a little skeptical of the animal. "He's harmless," Emily assured him.

"Michelle! Ellie!" Derek called up the stairs to the girls and they appeared in seconds. "Reid is here. Remember I told you Emily and me were going to take off for a while?" They nodded their dark heads in unison, like twins born a year and two months apart. "So, Reid is in charge."

"Do you like making puppets, or painting?" Michelle asked.

Spencer felt a little out of place. "Well, I like games. And magic," he replied.

"Do you like Trivial Pursuit?" the younger girl asked.

"Chess is my favorite game, but Trivial Pursuit is fun too," he agreed. "I like the Genus II edition and the Baby Boomer one has a lot of good…"

Michelle cut him off before he could continue. "We have the Disney Animated Picture version," she informed him.

Derek chuckled and patted Reid on the shoulder. "Good luck, man," his head shook a little, both in sympathy and amusement. He and Emily moved toward the door, slipped on shoes, grabbed keys and Emily's purse and then were pulling on the doorknob, eager to get away for a few hours of adult time. "Bedtime is still ten o'clock," Morgan reminded the girls. "And Michelle, don't forget to take Campbell out later, okay?" he instructed. They received an affirmative response then departed quickly.

xxx

They walked along the edge of the reflecting pool at the National Mall. Emily's left hand was firmly clasped in Derek's right as they strolled. Warm evening air swirled around them, stars starting to poke through the clear violet and navy hued sky. Lights illuminating the Lincoln Memorial helped them make their way. Minutes later they settled on the steps of the memorial building, dwarfed by rows of Doric columns and a white marble likeness of the sixteenth president.

"I thought you might be missing the view," Morgan finally said, noticing the way she was staring across the expansive pool and gazing at the tall obelisk.

Emily reclined against him, seated one step lower and situated between his legs. "I haven't really had time to miss it, with all the moving, work, Ellie's visit and Campbell's arrival," she smoothed her hands over his thighs. "Besides, I have grown rather found of our backyard view. Especially when you were outside the other morning playing with Campbell and the garden hose," she grinned at that memory.

"You saw that, did you?" he smiled too, though Derek thought he'd been alone.

She nodded. "It was sweet. He really loves playing with you."

"I love it too, I'll be sad to go back to work on Tuesday," he lamented. "But, these two weeks have been a wonderful gift," Morgan kissed the side of her head. "I can't thank you enough for Campbell and bringing Ellie into my life again for a little while."

Thoughts of the girl drifted through Emily's head as they silently watched more stars become visible in the night sky. "Has Ellie said much to you about how things are going with her foster parents?" she asked. "This adoption of that little boy must be bringing up some interesting feelings for her. And, I hate to say it, but it's a little odd that she wanted to come here and stay with us rather than get a chance to visit China, isn't it?"

His shoulders rose and fell. "She told me she really likes Dan and Beth and that they've continued to be very good to her. Apparently they ask about adoption a lot, but she claims she's not ready for that yet. I'm guessing that's why this new adoption came up so quickly. I think they really want a more solid family unit."

A sigh escaped her lips. "That's got to be rough on Ellie."

"She told me she's happy for them," Derek said. "But I know how much she still misses her dad and her aunt, and seeing the Marshal's move on, building a new family," he shrugged again. "I overheard her telling Michelle that she feels more at home with us than with her foster parents."

There it was, Emily thought. She turned her head a little in an attempt to confirm her suspicions. "You've been thinking about asking her to stay with us on a more permanent basis, haven't you?" she guessed.

"I don't know…" Morgan squirmed for a moment, uncertain what she'd think of the idea. "Yeah, maybe," he finally revealed the whole truth. "But, it's stupid, right?" the words were out but he didn't bother waiting for an answer. "I know I shouldn't be so involved in her life, but I just can't seem to help it. After what we went through together I keep feeling this need to protect her, but…" he let go a heavy breath. "I'm sorry. This is not the way I planned our date to go."

Emily pressed her back against him again, watching the dark pool of water as it reflected the memorial behind them. "You don't need to apologize. I had a feeling you'd been thinking about all this. But," a contemplative sigh broke free. "That would be a huge change for Ellie, not to mention us. I barely feel like I have enough time to spend with Michelle as it is, and throwing another kid into the mix…" she took another quick breath. "Then there's school to think of, whether we'd put her at St. Ann's with Michelle. Not exactly the least expensive school around. And there's the fact that the girls get along great when they see each other for a few days or weeks, but what about living together full-time?"

"I suppose it'd be kind of like any siblings," Derek replied. "Sarah and Desie could yell at each other like nobody else, but they were always thick as thieves. But, you're right. There's a lot to think about. And maybe we shouldn't even be thinking about it unless Ellie brings it up," Morgan was finally able to grasp a more reasonable position. "We'll let her go back to California, start the school year, see how it goes," he reasoned.

"That's a good idea," Emily agreed.

"But…" he wasn't able to fully let go of the topic just yet. "It sounded to me like you wouldn't be completely opposed to the idea?"

She shook her head against his chest, and the answer that came out actually surprised her as well. "I wouldn't."

xxx

The house was quiet when Emily and Derek entered a little after eleven o'clock. A soft flicker of light danced across the living room walls and they found Reid with his head resting against the back of the sofa, mouth hanging open, eyes closed. The TV was still on, volume very low. Emily used the remote to turn it off. Derek gently placed a hand against the man's shoulder and roused him. Reid blinked up at them. "You can stay sacked out on the sofa if you like," Morgan offered.

"I think I'll head out, but thanks," Spencer replied, getting to his feet. He grabbed the messenger bag he'd brought along and slung it across his chest. "Campbell is in his kennel in the laundry room. The girl's and I walked him earlier. Actually he walked us," Reid let them know as the three of them slowly worked their way toward the front door.

"And how were the girls?" Emily asked.

Reid yawned, trying to cover it with one hand. "Well, they liked my magic tricks, especially the physics rocket one. But I think I only got two questions right on that Disney game, one about Bambi and another one about the wicked witch from the west, I believe."

"That would be from _The Wizard of Oz_, which is not a Disney movie," Emily grinned, amused by his lack of Disney movie knowledge, but also by what she saw on his fingernails. "Is that cotton candy pink polish on your nails?" she asked.

Spencer promptly dropped both hands to his side. "So, maybe it was a wicked step-mother?" he tried to keep to the original topic.

Derek chuckled. "Sounds more like it," he nodded.

"Hmm, I don't know," Reid's head moved side to side sluggishly as he continued to try and hide his hands from view. "I just guessed on most of the answers. And I thought you said that Michelle didn't even have a TV where she lived in Kansas."

"She didn't," Emily replied. "But my thoughtful parents bought her every Disney DVD they could get their hands on and gave them to her for Christmas. She has since watched every one of them at least twice, and that's a low estimate. I could probably reenact some of them from memory."

"Right, well the rest of the night was spent, uh… doing fingernail painting, which I somehow got roped into," he finally, sheepishly, admitted. "I never knew three hours could feel like such a long time," the genius lamented. "But they went right to bed when I told them it was time, ten o'clock like you said. I heard some teeth brushing and then a lot of giggling for a while, but it's been real quiet up there for the last half hour or so," he reported.

Emily took a step forward and kissed the man's cheek. "You're a good friend, Reid," she whispered.

He shrugged and quietly slipped out the front door.

Morgan took her hand as they made their way upstairs. "I'm not so sure how I feel about you kissing Reid," he chuckled softly. The two of them tip-toed to Michelle's room and pushed the door open. Ellie was in the top bunk on her back, arms above her head. She'd gladly agreed to sleep up top, knowing Michelle still had nightmares about falling. Michelle was curled into a tight ball on her lower bed. Both of them were asleep, their breathing calm and even.

The adults exited the room and stumbled to theirs in the dark. Minimal clothing was worn to bed, given the warm, sticky heat of the late August night. Emily laid her head against his shoulder. "Thank you for our date tonight. The time alone together was most appreciated."

"You're welcome," he kissed her good-night.

* * *

**End**


	68. Life

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is a continuation of my _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Life**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek was the one to press the doorbell on the small brick house in the sleepy West Virginia community. There was a light drizzle falling, but the deep porch roof kept them covered as they waited patiently for an answer. Michelle stood between them, happy to be off school for the day, even though she very much enjoyed school. But she was excited about meeting the boy. But Morgan noticed that Emily didn't seem terribly excited. "You don't have to be nervous," he said.

Emily looked over at him. She stopped bouncing on the heels of her boots and wrapped her light-weight jacket a little tighter around her mid-section. "I'm not nervous."

"Of course not," Derek knew better. "You already did the hard part, and they really want to meet you."

She remembered receiving the call three weeks ago. It was all still clear as could be in her head, the woman on the other end explaining the situation and that they needed her help right away. Emily hadn't hesitated for a second. She'd been more than willing, happy even to think she was helping someone in such a profound way. Now she was standing on the boy's porch, worried for no good reason at all. It didn't make sense to her, but a lot of her fears were laid to rest when the front door swung open and a woman smiled at them.

"You're here," the blonde woman grinned like crazy. She was young, early-thirties, blue eyes, short and thin as a rail. But her eyes conveyed the last six exhaustive months of her life, their droopy darkness struggling to recover. "My name is Abigail," she thrust her hand at Emily first.

"I'm Emily," she thought her introduction seemed redundant given the way Abigail had already guessed who she was. "This is Derek, and Michelle," Emily introduced her family.

"So good to meet you all," Abigail shook their hands as well. "Shoot, come on in out of that rain," she finally ushered them inside. The house was small, each room closed off from the other. "I do hope you'll disregard the mess. These last few months have been, well… difficult," the woman said. "Haven't had much time for cleaning. I had to quit my job, and my husband's been working overtime nearly every day. But he…" Abigail stuck her head around a corner. "Jackson!" she called out.

A tall man with sandy hair and blue eyes came into their view. "You must be Emily," his hand was also proffered for the dark haired woman to shake. "It's great you could finally make it out here. I know you all are busy, but Marty sure has been looking forward to this. I took the day off special, too," he relayed. "Marty's kind of tired still, he's down the hall in his room, but you all are welcome back there." Jackson waved a hand in the direction of the bedroom.

The twelve-year-old boy's room was a strange amalgamation of pencil drawings hanging all over and baseball trophies displayed proudly on handcrafted shelves. Emily smiled when she saw the child. She relaxed even more. His eyes held equally dark circles like his mother, but his coloring was good and he looked happy as he sat there greeting them all with a smile. Emily went to him, started to shake his hand, but was pulled in for a hug by the boy. His blue eyes and light hair were the spitting image of his parents.

"I heard it was your birthday," Marty said, looking to Emily as she pulled back and took a seat on the edge of his bed.

"How did you know that?" she inquired.

The boy smiled as he glanced over at Morgan. "My mom said Derek told her when he called for our address."

"I guess it must have slipped out," Derek shrugged.

Marty grabbed a pad of paper off the table by his bed. He held it on his lap. "One month after I was diagnosed I wanted my life to be over," he bravely told them. "I wanted to die, because the chemo made me so sick. But that night I had a dream. There was a woman, she was an angel. She didn't have wings or anything, but I just knew she was an angel. She told me not to give up, she told me to keep fighting. She said that someone very special was going to help me. I woke up after that and I grabbed my sketch book and I drew that angel. It was the first time I'd drawn anything in six weeks," he reached into his sketch book and handed her a loose sheet of paper. "I think she kind of looks like you."

Emily's breath hitched when she looked at the drawing, amazed at the boy's ability to convey so much detail and clarity in a pencil drawing. But she didn't think it looked like her, more like her sister. "This is beautiful."

"I want you to have it as a gift," the boy insisted. "Like the gift you gave me. My doctors are still being cautiously optimistic, but they say I'm in remission," he let her know. "I can feel myself getting stronger every day, and by spring I'm going to be playing baseball again. I know I will," he confidently conveyed the statement.

"My mom was on a list like you were," Michelle spoke up from her spot beside Derek. "But they couldn't find her a donor. She died six months ago," the girl lamented. "I'm really glad Emily could be a donor for you."

"So am I," Marty nodded, his smile still bright as his eyes regained focus on Emily. "I really can't ever thank you enough for what you did."

A smile curled Emily's lips, finally seeing that her donation had done well to heal the boy. She hadn't been able to save her sister, but she'd saved another life; a young, precious and vibrant life. She'd also saved two parents from further heartache. And she'd saved a boy from wishing for death. "I don't need thanks," Emily insisted. "Your smile is enough."

"And you'll come watch me play ball, right?" Marty asked.

She nodded. "Yes, I will."

* * *

**End**


	69. Finish

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is a continuation of my _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Finish**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

There was a half-eaten chocolate birthday cake in Fran Morgan's dining area, but everyone was sprawled out in the living room. Derek and Emily sitting cozily on one end of the sofa while Fran resided on the other end. Sarah sat in an arm chair to their left and Desiree and Michelle had spots on the floor, legs folded beneath them. The three siblings knew the routine by heart; cake then presents then clean-up. Thankfully they were still in present mode.

Fran carefully untied the silky red ribbon and removed the gold cover from a fancy gift box. She fished through several layers of red tissue paper and finally found a cashmere sweater hidden the bottom of the box. It was an emerald green, v-neck and her hands admiringly stroked the soft fabric. Her eyes immediately went to Emily. "This is lovely," she said. "Not that I don't like the thoughtfulness behind Derek's gifts, such as a remote starter for my car one year, but this certainly has a woman's touch."

"I picked out the color, though," Derek was sure to note.

His mother smiled, leaning over to kiss her son's cheek. "And it's a beautiful color," Fran assured him. "Thank you, both, very much."

"Will you open mine next?" Michelle asked, waving a thin package at Derek's mother. "Please," she added.

"It would be my honor," Fran agreed, setting the sweater aside for a moment as she grabbed the gift from Michelle. She tore along one edge of the envelope-like package, hoping not to rip anything that was inside. Fran pulled out a photograph that was framed with a thin paper border painted with strips. "Michelle, this is beautiful. I'd forgotten about your grandfather taking this picture last Christmas."

The girl smiled to see the reaction on her face. "Derek said you liked green and purple, so that's why I made the frame those colors."

"It's perfect," Fran said, gazing at the picture. "And I'm proud to have a photo of your mom and you, Derek, Emily and me," she let the child know how special the gift was to her. "I'm going to hang this in the kitchen on my refrigerator and then I'll see you all every day."

Michelle's gift got passed around and it was admired by everyone. Sarah was the last to get a look at it and smiled. She handed it back to her mother a moment later. "Well, I guess that means it's clean-up time. I nominate Derek!"

"I second!" Desiree was quick to help gang up on her brother.

"Hey!" Morgan protested with a pout.

Fran shook her head at the children. "All three of you cut it out. We have company."

"Please, mama," Derek rolled his eyes at the comment. "You know Emily and Michelle are family."

"True enough," the woman replied as she got to her feet. "But it's not clean up time just yet," she declared. "Because there's one more gift to be opened." After a few more seconds of rooting around on the shelves behind her sofa, Fran Morgan produced an unwrapped gift box.

Derek looked at the item. "What'd you do, mama, buy yourself a present?"

She swatted his shoulder and leaned past him to hand the box to Emily. "No, this gift is not for me," Fran winked at her son as she sat back.

Emily stared at the package on her lap. She was puzzled. "It's not my birthday," she needlessly stated the fact aloud.

"This is a special gift," Fran replied, waving her hands at the box. "Go on, hurry up and open it."

Feeling a little on the spot and not knowing why, Emily took a deep breath before pulling the lid off the white gift box. There was no tissue paper on the inside, just a folded item that looked like it had been hand knitted. Emily pulled it out with both hands, still curious as to why she was receiving the present. Then she spotted a section of the item, which she'd finally concluded was a scarf, where the knitting was kind of sloppy. But the yarn was a familiar turquoise.

Fran swallowed nervously. "That's the part your sister knitted," she explained. "I did the rest in another shade of blue and a slightly different pattern as well, so Anna's section would stand out. Derek gave me the part Anna did and asked if I'd finish it for you. I hope you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind," Emily's voice was thick with emotion, beyond touched by the thoughtful gift. "It's lovely. Thank you so much." She slid across the sofa so she could give Fran a proper hug. Then she turned back to regard Derek. "You do too many nice things for me. I always feel like I'm taking advantage of you," she remarked.

"I'm sure he doesn't mind being taken advantage of," Sarah teased.

Desiree laughed, joining in. "Yeah, I bet he likes it."

"You girls hush!" Fran admonished. She got to her feet again and pointed a finger toward the kitchen door. "Clean up time, both of you," the older woman demanded. When they slunk from the room, Fran turned a soft smile on Michelle. "Would you like to help us?" she asked, giving the young girl a choice in the matter.

Morgan watched as Michelle and his mother disappeared into the kitchen. He reached out and took the scarf from Emily's hands and wrapped it around her neck. "It's not a contest, Emily. You've done some pretty amazing things for me as well," he kissed her on the lips.

She ran a hand along the two types of yarn, both equally soft and gorgeous shades of blue. "Yes, but this is unbelievably special to me," Emily noted.

"Well…" he smiled, gently pressing kisses above each of her eyebrows and then against her forehead. "You're unbelievably special to me."

* * *

**End**


	70. Parents

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This story is a continuation of my _Who We Are_ series.

* * *

**Parents**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Michelle was sitting on a low concrete wall just outside of the Shedd Aquarium with her aunt and Derek. It was the only place she'd asked to see during their very short birthday visit to Chicago, and the adults had been happy to oblige her wish. They'd even bought her two stuffed animals at the gift shop. A fuzzy white beluga whale, which was tucked under her left arm and a gray tiger shark under her right. The shark was to be a Christmas gift for Ellie, and was sporting a ridiculous purple sweatshirt with Aquarium logo on the chest.

It had been a fun mid-December day outing for them all, which had included a pizza lunch and a walk along the blustery water front. But as much as the girl had enjoyed her afternoon visiting the various underwater worlds, she currently had something very different on her mind. "Derek, I like your mom and your sisters a lot," she told him. "Your mom said I could call her nana Fran," the child continued. "And your sisters said I could call them Auntie Dee and Aunt Sarah. Is that okay?"

He caught Emily's eye and noticed the smile on her face. She certainly seemed pleased to know the girl was that comfortable with his family. "If they said it was okay, then yeah," Derek agreed, touched that his family cared so much about the girl. He was even more impressed that Michelle wanted to consider them her aunts and grandmother.

Several quiet minutes slipped away as the three of them watched a few ships out on the choppy water. "Can I ask you both something else?" Michelle inquired, not wanting to lose the momentum of her previous good luck.

A chilly wind rippled across the harbor's watery edge, causing Emily to shiver. "Of course, chaton," she encouraged her niece.

The girl squeezed both plush animals a little tighter as she nervously continued. "In the note my mom wrote me, the one you gave me after she died…" Michelle looked to Emily mainly as she spoke those important words.

Emily nodded. "Yes?" The note had been sealed in an envelope separate from her letter, and Emily had given it to Michelle just before their trip to Kansas. She'd never asked to read the note, wanting it to be something private between the child and her mother.

"She said there might be a time when I'd want to call you mom and…" Michelle's green eyes flicked to Derek. "And dad," she added. "Mommy said that was okay with her, so I wanted to know if it was okay with you?"

Derek opened and closed his mouth, uncertain what to say. He wanted to say yes instantly, but he figured he should discuss it with Emily first. He noticed that she was a little short on words as well, though. Morgan had a feeling her silence had nothing to do with being upset by the question, but probably more to do with feeling nervous about being called something more important than an aunt. He took her hand. "Well, what do you think, Em?" Derek squeezed her hand to let her know he has fine with whatever decision she made.

A smile slowly formed on Emily's face. She remembered the day Anna had begged her to promise she'd watch after Michelle. And the day Anna had explained how she saw Michelle's last name being Morgan in her vision of the future. It was always sad to think of her sister being gone, and she wasn't going to kid herself about the very big shoes Anna had left to fill. But she suddenly found that she wanted to fill them the best she could. "I would be honored," Emily finally let the girl know.

"So would I," Derek quickly added.

Michelle smiled, pleased by their response. "That means you're officially my parents now, right?"

"If that's what you want us to be," Emily steadily latched onto the idea herself, but allowed for the child to make up her own mind.

"It is," the girl assured them.

* * *

**End**


	71. Hope

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

NOTE: Spoilers for 6x16, **_Coda._**

* * *

**Hope**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"I need your help."

They were four very simple words, but hard to say. Emily stood in his office doorway. After her meeting with Doyle she'd driven back to Quantico. She'd sat in the parking garage for over an hour, hidden in the shadows. When Garcia's car had left Emily finally made her move, riding the elevator up, walking down the long corridor that was still fully lit even at such a late hour. She'd stopped at his door, thinking about how she'd reacted to him weeks ago in that cab.

_He cared_. Emily repeated those words in her head as she stood in his doorway. She needed his help.

"Emily?" Morgan's eyes lifted from the file he'd been working on, still keeping to his deal about helping Hotch with paperwork so his boss could spend more time with Jack. Tonight he'd taken some much needed down time, watching videos with Garcia on YouTube for over an hour, eating popcorn. The silly business had done well to revive him. But now, seeing the worry etched across Emily's brow, he knew something was wrong. The same something he'd tried to suss out of her a few weeks ago. "What's up?" he asked as casually as possible.

She sat down on the edge of one of his fabric covered chairs. "I have a sister," the words fell like heavy weights from her tongue. "Had a sister," Emily licked her dry lips, swallowed to coat her even drier mouth. "Evelyn."

Morgan wasn't sure what to say, there'd never been mention of a sister before, or any siblings. He'd always figured her an only child. "What's going on?"

"I was fifteen…" Emily dove in at the beginning, or close enough. "Ev was nineteen, half way through her first year of college when she dropped out. She hated school, probably because she was too smart for it." There was a pause. Emily picked at a short thread on her pant's seam. "My parents were furious. They told her if she didn't go to school they'd cut her off financially. Ev didn't care. She'd saved a little money and took off."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Morgan was too curious not to ask, even though he felt a little rude interrupting her.

"Amsterdam was her first stop," Emily barely recognized that he'd said something. She was too lost in the past at the moment. A small bit of laughter bubbled forth. "She worked at a bicycle repair shop for a few months, then moved on to Germany where she waitressed. In France she made pastries at a small café for half a year. Ev wrote me, not our parents. She seemed glad to be on her own, working odd jobs.

"When I was twenty, just entering my third year at Yale, Ev wrote me about a guy she'd met," Emily continued. "He was the 'one' she claimed. Tall, handsome, a real gentleman." His name was caught in her throat, but she finally spit it out. "Ian Doyle." It loomed there in the air around them for a moment. Derek had stopped asking questions. He sat at attention, interested and concerned. "His family was well off; they had some sort of business based in Russia.

"Evelyn was never very clear in her letters about what Ian's family did, but she sounded happy, so what did I care? Part of me was glad that she'd gotten out from under our parents' iron grip. Part of me wanted to be that free, but I was the one child left so I had to be perfect. I had to be perfect from the day I turned fifteen and Ev ran away. All my parent's aspirations suddenly fell on me." And it had been too much, she didn't say. Her thoughts drifted to another sorted chapter of her fifteen-year-old life, but she quickly stuffed that to the far recesses of her mind and focused on the problem at hand.

She sighed, leaning forward, hands raking over her thighs. "Evelyn never mentioned anything about getting married, but shortly after I graduated she told me she was going to have a baby; Ian's baby," Emily pursed her lips, took another breath. Then she fished something out of the left front pocket of her slacks. "I was knee-deep in FBI academy training when I received the letter that had this in it," she pushed the small picture across his desk.

Derek gingerly picked up the photo and looked down at the chubby-faced baby. He flipped it over and read the back. "Ian Joseph Doyle."

"My nephew." Emily bit her lip. "In the letter, Evelyn gushed over the boy. She called him Joey and she wanted me to meet him so badly. I wanted to see them too, but the timing was bad. I kept telling her I had training, and she understood." A silence befell her for a moment as she kicked herself for not getting to her sister sooner. "I didn't get another letter for a long time, nearly a year. I didn't think much of it, she was a new mother and busy," Emily shrugged.

"But there was something wrong?" Morgan couldn't hold his questions back any longer.

"The letter I got from Ev shortly after Joey's first birthday was… scattered. She seemed really upset and there were bits and pieces about Ian's family business; things that didn't sound good at all. I also got the feeling he was trying to…" Emily sighed. "I don't know, kick Ev out of his life, I guess. She said she was trying to save money to leave; to come back to the states. I think she was trying not to say too much, in case he intercepted the letter, but I could tell she was scared of him."

Morgan had a feeling he wasn't going to like what came next, suddenly recalling the way she'd used the past tense to tell him about her sister. He was quiet for a short time, watching her. She seemed reluctant to continue. "You can trust me," was all he said.

Emily wanted to smile. Those four words spoke volumes. "My parents got word from Russia, there'd been a horrible accident and they believed my sister was dead. They needed dental records to identify her body, which had been burned in a car accident," she kept pushing the words out, trying not to stop. "It was Evelyn. My parents had her remains flown to the states, we buried her. I wanted to tell them about Joey and about Ev's fears in regard to Doyle. In the back of my head I knew he was responsible for her death, but I was afraid if my parents interfered Doyle might disappear with Joey for good."

He leaned forward against his desk, elbows resting on the hard surface. "So, what did you do?"

She shrugged. "What could I do? Go to the Russian embassy and claim Doyle killed my sister? I had no evidence other than a gut feeling and a very vague letter," Emily shook her head. "And I hadn't even seen Evelyn in eight years. They probably would have laughed in my face," she concluded.

"You did nothing?"

A twinge of anger sparked in her stomach upon hearing him say those words. They felt accusatory, but she pushed past her reactionary nature. "I was sent to St. Louis, worked a desk job there for three years. Then Chicago…" she tapped a finger against the medal bar of the chair she was barely seated on. "I did as much research as I could on Doyle and his family, until one day I set off a red flag. I was summoned to Lyon by Interpol. They wanted to know why I was so interested in Doyle."

"They were watching him?" Derek guessed.

"Closely, for years," she confirmed. "I told them about my sister and they showed me surveillance pictures of Doyle and my nephew. At least I knew he was alive," Emily breathed out, long and deep. "They said they were sending in a team to disable his domain, and I lobbied to be put on that team."

Morgan frowned. "They let you? Even knowing your personal involvement?" he questioned.

"I was very persuasive," Emily replied. "Plus I had the language skills and I thankfully took after my mother's dark-eyed, dark-haired side of the family. Joey's sandy hair and blue eyes are a lot like Evelyn; like our father." She didn't dwell on the formalities too much. "The team had to live and train together for a whole year before we ever even approached Doyle. We had to be deep undercover in order to circumvent his intelligence operatives, which we discovered were numerous."

His hands lay flat on the desk, trying to digest everything she was telling him. It seemed unreal. Derek had always suspected there was a lot he didn't know about Emily Prentiss, but this was way more than his head could have imagined. "Go on," he simply prodded, sensing there was much more to tell.

"I had to get close to Doyle," she revealed.

"How close?"

"Very."

Derek nodded, suspecting as much. But hearing her talk about losing her sister and trying to get to her nephew, Morgan knew he'd probably do just about anything under those same circumstances. "Did you get to meet Joey?" he asked, thinking there had to be some small silver lining in her story.

A smile bloomed, sad but happy at the same time. Emily nodded. "He was eight years old when I finally met him. Smart, funny, and so sweet. Doyle ruled his every move and Joey hated it. He wasn't allowed to be a kid. He had school, piano, archery, language lessons, and the list went on. But we found small moments together. I'd take him horseback riding some days, or to the lake to swim. Joey only knew me as my alias, Lauren Reynolds. But after a while he starting calling me Tia, all on his own. He was studying Spanish at his private school and he always told me I was like an aunty."

"Emily, that must have been unbearable for you," Derek lamented for her. "Being so close to the boy and not able to tell him who you really were."

Her head bobbed silently. "My cover was as a rich Ex-Pat, kind of flighty, carefree. Doyle liked that, he liked being in charge," Emily's skin crawled to think how far she'd sunk herself into the case. "I slept in his bed," she revealed, not needing to further expand on that implication. "I was able to be in a room and have him barely give me a thought. He'd make phone calls around me, give away pertinent information that he didn't think I'd know anything about. He was duped. Completely. The rest of my team worked around the estate, cooking, cleaning, gardening. We knew our job and we did it well."

"But…" Morgan knew something must have gone wrong. She'd come to him and uttered words he never would have guessed coming from her mouth. She needed help. What kind of help, he wondered. "What happened?"

"When Joey turned ten Doyle decided to send him to a boarding school in Germany," Emily swallowed. "It was the perfect opportunity. My team member, Tsia, was to travel with Joey via train to the new school. But she made sure he never arrived in Germany. Instead she got him on a plane and took him to the states. Then she promptly buried him in WitSec. Doyle finally fingered me as the responsible party behind Joey's disappearance, but by then we already had enough to take him down. He went to prison. We staged a car accident to fake my, _Lauren's_, death. That was it. We returned to our lives."

Morgan blinked, knowing it probably hadn't been that easy at all. And he was confused about the finer details of everything. "And Joey? Where is he now?"

"Not sure," she shrugged. "He was placed with a family," Emily explained. "I never tried to find him. I thought it was for the best."

"For the best?" Derek was shocked by that response. "He was ten years old, pulled away from the only life he knew, thrown into Witness Protection without understanding why. You didn't even bother to explain any of it to him?" He watched her nod. "You just sent him away? Never even told your parents about any of this?"

She chewed her bottom lip. "I couldn't tell anyone. And cutting off ties with Joey was for the best. Especially now," Emily breathed. "Doyle is out. I saw him tonight, face to face."

Derek's spine tingled with mixed emotions. "He knows who you are? That you're Evelyn's sister? All of it?"

There was another small nod of her head in reply. "I took away the most important thing in his world and now he wants me dead. But before he kills me he's going to try everything possible to find out where Joey is." She clenched her jaw, balled her hands into fists. "I cannot let that happen, Derek. Joey will be eighteen next month. Hopefully he's been able to live a normal life and will graduate high school soon. He has his whole life ahead of him. But if Doyle gets his hands on him… he will corrupt that boy's head. He'll feed him lies about my sister and me, and he'll train him to be exactly like him. Cold. Heartless. A criminal. A murderer."

His chest deflated. "Emily, how long have you known about Doyle being free?"

"Weeks," she revealed. "And I shouldn't be telling you any of this right now. But he knows things, Derek," her fingernails dug into the skin of her palms. "He knows intimate details about our BAU team, things he should not know. And he will use you all to get what he wants. He'll go after Garcia first. He will force her to hack her way into whatever database necessary to find Joey. And if that doesn't work, he will take you all out, one by one, if he thinks it will get me to talk."

"Shit," Morgan swore; the full weight of what was going on finally settling in.

Emily swallowed every ounce of pride she'd ever stored away. "I need help, Derek. I need to stop him, once and for all," she declared. "I need to know I can trust you. I need to have you on my side. I know it's a lot to ask, but…"

"You don't have to ask," he stopped her. "You should know by now that whatever you need, it's yours." Derek looked her in the eye. "I'll be there for you, Emily. Always."

She didn't expect to survive the ordeal, but his words gave her hope. Hope that at least Joey would remain safe from Doyle.

* * *

**End**


	72. Dog

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Dog**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

_The weight of his body was pressed against hers, warm and comfortable. She laughed as he kissed her ear and then her neck, both with equally playful abandon. Emily loved and hated the way Derek liked to tease her, taunt her; make her practically beg for more. It was maddening. And it was bliss. Derek's kisses always managed to make her want more, because they weren't just passionate and longing, they were tender and loving. And she wanted to enjoy every last drop of them._

Emily felt her mind slowly rising from the deep intoxication of sleep. Light was seeping through her still closed eyelids, forcing the new day upon her. But she did her best to keep her eyes shut tightly, trying to will sleep back. She wanted it to blanket her again with its hazy comfort, because she really didn't want to wake from the steamy dream she'd been having about Derek. Of course, she knew he would probably be lying beside her and she could very easily…

Her thoughts broke off abruptly as something wet licked her lips. Her eyes shot open fully and went wide. "You've got to be kidding me," Emily whispered as she realized the weight against her body that she'd felt in the dream had been real. But it wasn't the man she loved. "Campbell, gross!" she shouted at the dog licking her.

"Hmm," Derek moaned as he rolled over, struggling against consciousness.

She reached a hand out and swatted him hard against one shoulder. "Ugh, Derek, wake up. Your dog just made it to first base with me," Emily tried to wrestle herself free from the large yellow-coated lab. His dark snout nudged her chin, his tongue licking her neck again. She turned her head a second later to find Derek awake, propped on his side and smiling as he watched her try to shed the dog from their bed. "I was just having this nice dream, in which I thought I was kissing you, and then…" she waved a hand at the over-grown puppy.

Morgan chuckled, not making a move to call the dog off her. "You dream about me?" he asked with raised brows.

"Sometimes…" Emily shrugged under the weight of the dog. "But most of the time I dream about that guy who delivers water to the BAU," she added jokingly, hoping to wipe the amused grin off his face. Campbell suddenly stood up on all fours, his front paws resting heavily against her chest, his damp nose sniffing her face all over, tail wagging wildly.

"Aw, he likes you, Em," Derek patted the dog. "Don't you, boy? You like Emily?"

Her face softened a little. "I usually like him too," Emily replied. "However, I also usually make a guy at least buy me dinner before he gets a kiss like the one Campbell gave me earlier."

Soft laughter rumbled from deep within Derek's throat as he finally coaxed Campbell into letting Emily free. The dog settled down beside Derek on the bed and he watched Emily as she got up, clothed only in one of his large t-shirts. Her bare feet padded across the room toward the bathroom. "Em, he's still really just a puppy," Morgan defended the dog.

She flicked on the bathroom light and took a step inside. "Yes, well, he's a huge…"

The only thing Derek heard after that was a soft thud and then a string of cussing that he was pretty sure would make even a seasoned truck driver blush. Morgan flung the covers off and jumped out of bed. He rushed to the bathroom with Campbell on his heels. The two of them stopped in the doorway, both seeming to be equally stunned by the scene in front of them. Although, when Derek glanced down at the dog he watched Campbell lower his head and heard the soft whimper than came from the puppy's mouth. He suddenly had the distinct feeling that the dog had already seen the messy bathroom.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked her, though he could see she wasn't, sprawled in the middle of the tile floor. "Did you slip?"

"Yes, I slipped!" she snapped. "I slipped on… on…" Emily knew she was wet, but it wasn't until her hand came closer to her nose that she realized the source of the wetness. Her nose crinkled at the smell. "Dog pee," she shook her head. "And," her same hand motioned around the room at the disaster area. "There's toilet paper everywhere."

Morgan had to bite his lip to keep from laughing as he joined Emily in the middle of the room. "I am so sorry, baby," Derek helped her up and pointed to the shower. "You get cleaned up," he insisted. "And I promise this mess will all be cleared up by the time you get out," Morgan glanced over his shoulder to see Campbell with his head still down, looking sufficiently chastised by Emily's predicament. Derek faced her again. "And I love you."

Her eyes rolled at his pathetic attempt to sweet talk her. "Yeah, you better love me a whole lot today," Emily said as she reached in to turn on the shower. "You better love me with coffee and with pancakes, syrup and butter. You better love me with a full body massage, because my back is already starting to ache." She stripped off her t-shirt and stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain closed. "Or better yet, just love me enough to take care of your dog. Although, I doubt he needs to be walked now."

He was already on his hands and knees, rounding up all the bits of toilet paper. "You know, I think you forget that you're the one who got Campbell for me."

Seconds later Derek watched as a shampoo bottle went sailing past his head. But the second one hit him.

* * *

**End**


	73. Lunch

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Lunch**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

He stood hunched over the intricate model, amazed at what he was seeing. "I can't believe you figured that out by building this model, it must have taken you several days," Derek remarked, clearly impressed. His back straightened as his eyes fell upon the young agent on his team, Samantha Bard. He'd had his doubts about her early on when Strauss had pushed the woman onto the team, but she'd proven herself on several occasions, including this one.

"I used my free time over the weekend," the green-eyed woman said with a nonchalant shrug. "I'm a bit of a nerd. It was fun for me."

His ears barely registered what she was saying, still caught up in his own thoughts. "Actually, I can't believe I didn't see it before," Morgan lamented, looking over the detailed model again, which resembled a bomb that had been set off in a government building a week ago. A bomb that had caused two deaths. It was a weapon of horribly destructive means yet it also had an air of artful creation to it.

The brown-haired agent placed a hand against his right shoulder in a supportive gesture. "Don't feel bad," she said. "I know I was a bit insufferable those first few months with all my needling and thinking I knew FBI regulations more than you. But I've really come to appreciate that you're the boss. I understand that you do a lot behind the scenes to keep this team running efficiently," Samantha smiled.

Derek smiled as well. A knock sounded at his office door and he turned to find a surprising visitor. "Emily, hey… what are you doing here?" he asked, waving at the baby in her arms.

Emily held Lulu tightly against her left hip, but her eyes were glued to the woman whose hand was affixed to her husband's shoulder. It seemed like an eternity before the agent finally dropped her hand. "I should get back to my report on the Myer bombing," Bard said as she made for the door. "Emily," she greeted her boss's wife amiably. "Good to see you."

Bard exited and Morgan focused fully on his baby girl. His hands reached out to the child and she practically jumped out of Emily's arms to get to him. "Hey, darling," Derek kissed the baby's chubby cheeks and delighted in the gurgle of laughter that erupted from the girl. He leaned toward his wife and stole a quick kiss from her.

"What am I doing here?" Emily wore a disappointed frown as they all moved toward the leather sofa under his window. "That's how you say hello to your wife?"

Derek chuckled softly, sitting down and settling Lulu on his lap. He kissed the top of the baby's head. "I was just surprised to see you, Em," he didn't think much of her comment. "It's your day off so I figured you'd want to be as far away from the BAU as possible."

She let out a breath, trying to settle her uneasiness at seeing him working so closely with the young female agent whose hand had been pressed against his bicep. "Lu woke up from her morning nap and kept asking for her Da," Emily explained.

"Da!" the baby repeated. One small hand reached for Derek's face. "Da!" she said a second time as her hand squeezed his nose.

"As you can see she was missing her daddy," Emily continued, watching as Derek lifted the baby and placed a series of sloppy kisses against Lu's caramel-hued cheeks and then on her tummy beneath the flowery green shirt she had on. Emily never got tired of watching Derek in daddy mode. "I thought we could all get some lunch together. Of course, if I was a better wife I would have made a lunch and brought it to you."

He easily caught the strangely self-deprecating tone of her voice. "Emily, you're a great wife," Derek let her know.

"Then why was agent Bard touching your arm when I walked in?" she asked.

Morgan shrugged. "That was just a sympathetic gesture, Em. She was consoling me because I missed something pretty major on one of the bomb detonation mechanisms that we've been trying to figure out for weeks now." He could see something flickering in his wife's eyes. Something he didn't think he'd ever seen before. "Hey, Emily… Sam and I are… we just work together. You know that, right? I mean, she's a bit of a nerd really. She told me she spent her weekend working on that detonation problem."

"Oh, really?" Emily chewed her lip. His words did very little to quell her discomfort. "Do you remember that we used to work together, Derek? And that the first real bonding we did was over an author named Kurt Vonnegut? And do you recall how I claimed to be a huge nerd during that conversation? Not to mention, that used to be my hand against your arm."

Derek nodded calmly. "Yes, but now your hands get to go more places than just my shoulders," he winked. "And it was completely different when we interacted like that."

"I know it was different," she went on. "It was before I gained a ton of weight carrying your baby around in my body for 40 weeks. Before I barely had time to shave my legs more than once a week and before my boobs were always sore from nursing, and…"

"Hey, okay," he stopped her before she could get herself any more worked up. "Is it close to being that time of the month, maybe, or…" Morgan watched her nostrils actually flare in anger. "That was obviously the wrong thing to say," Derek held the baby close, pretending to whisper secretly in her ear even though Emily could hear him. "Help me out here, Lu. Tell mommy that daddy's sorry for… well, whatever it is he did," he apologized, still a bit clueless as to why.

Emily sighed. "This isn't funny."

Morgan attempted to hold her hand but she pulled away. He kissed the baby again instead. "All right," Derek decided to be completely honest with his wife. "I love your legs and I will admit that them being shaved is extremely nice. But a little fury leg under the sheets now and then is not a divorcing offense."

"I bet agent Bard's legs are always shaved," she quipped.

"I certainly wouldn't know," he replied. "But you have several things Sam doesn't. You have a gorgeous body that I happen to adore, all the more so for having carried _our_ child. You have two sweet little girls who worship you. But probably the most important thing you have is me as your husband," he playfully joked, but his eyes quickly grew serious. "That's something she will never have. In fact, no one else is ever going to have that, because you are the only wife I ever want," Derek concluded.

Her face softened a little as she listened to the sincerity of his words. "You must think I'm crazy for being jealous."

Derek's head shook. "I don't think you're crazy, I've just never seen this side of you before. But something tells me it's been brought on by something else that's going on with you."

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees, hands pushing her hair behind both ears. "This morning I was making Kacey a sandwich for her lunch and she told me I was cutting it wrong, because it wasn't the way Molly does it. I got so upset over that," she confessed. "I'm a horrible mother. I don't spend enough time with her to even know how she likes her sandwich cut. I should really spend more quality time with her, don't you think?"

He ran one hand up and down her back. "First off, Kacey likes her sandwich cut a different way about every two weeks. Second, when I was watching the girls that Sunday while you went to the theater, Kacey told me I was doing something wrong, because it wasn't the way you did it. I think it had to do with that little lunch song you made up for Lu. The point I'm trying to make is that kids are picky sometimes, and you don't need to be with them every second of every day to be a good mom."

"Oh, God…" Emily groaned as she sat up and then leaned her head against the back of the sofa. She closed her eyes. "Now I'm going to turn into one of those helicopter parents."

"Heli-what?" Morgan had no idea what she was talking about, again.

Her eyes reopened and she turned to face him. "You know, those parents who smoother their children, who never let them out of their sight, who never let them do anything on their own. I'm going to have insecure children who don't think they can do anything on their own. They'll live with us forever. Or worse, they'll completely rebel and do drugs or drop out of school or date guys with tattoos and weird piercings, or get pregnant and…"

"Whoa, slow down there a second," he tried to rein her in. But one thing got stuck in his head. "I have tattoos, what's wrong with tattoos?"

"It was just an example," she sighed.

"You still seem a little on edge here, Em," his hand smoothed over her silky hair, and down her cheek. "Will you please talk to me, seriously, about what's going on?" he urged.

She swallowed a nervous lump and relaxed just a little to feel him so close. "In a few days Lulu will be nine months old," Emily sighed. "After my maternity leave I cut back my schedule to desk duty only, but I told Hotch I'd be back in the field when Lu turned nine months, which means I need to start weaning her off breast feeding completely."

"But…" he felt there was something even more to it than that. "You don't want to stop breast feeding yet?"

"No, I do, even though it makes me sad to think she and I won't have that closeness anymore," she revealed her mixed feelings. "But more than that, I've been feeling really insecure about leaving her lately. She's been so clingy this past month and… and nine months is over half-way to her first birthday."

Derek nodded, thinking he finally knew what was really eating at her. "And you lost Kacey shortly after her first birthday," he realized. "Emily, you're not going to lose Lulu. No one's taking her away from you, and she's not going to forget you if you're gone for a few days. I promise."

"So, I'm just being foolish about all of this?" she asked.

His head shook a little. "No, considering everything you went through with Kacey I think these are very valid fears you're experiencing. Not foolish," Morgan assured her. "And you don't need to be afraid to talk to me about this stuff. I want us to be equal partners in this parenting business of ours. I hope you know that. Although, if you don't want me around maybe Sam would be willing to…"

Emily lightly punched his shoulder. "Don't even think it, mister," she smiled.

Morgan was glad to finally see her smile. He got to his feet, keeping Lulu close. "I am going to take some time off now to take two of my favorite girls to lunch," Derek reached down for Emily's hand to help her up. When his eyes returned to the baby he noticed she had her left thumb firmly lodged in her mouth. "When did this thumb sucking thing start?" he asked as they exited his office and stood on the catwalk for a moment.

"Um, a few weeks ago, maybe," Emily responded with a shrug. "I figure it's better than her sucking on some toxic plastic pacifier."

"But what about orthodontia?" Derek asked.

For some reason Emily found it immensely sexy that her husband was so interested in the minutia of their daughters' lives. "There's really no evidence that thumb sucking causes kids to need braces. However, I spent two years in braces with full head-gear at night, so…" her head shook. "My poor kids probably don't stand much of a chance."

"They'd be lucky to turn out half as beautiful as you when they grown up," Derek replied, taking her hand in his.

"Right…" she drawled. "Just as long as they don't inherit my neurotic tendencies."

He smiled, squeezing her hand as they walked down the steps into the bullpen. "I love you, neurosis and all," Derek said just before he kissed her so that everyone in the bullpen, including Samantha Bard, could see how very much he treasured her.

* * *

**End**


	74. Disappoint

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Disappoint**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily opened the cardboard package and then carefully cut off the plastic wrap around the frozen pizza. She felt rather domestic fixing dinner for her family, even though she wasn't much of a cook. And pulling a frozen pizza out of a box and popping it into the oven barely constituted cooking, but it still felt nice. Derek had called a half hour ago to say he was on his way home after being gone for two nights. And they were all going to have dinner together, which was a rare event.

As she went to the fridge to get lettuce and carrots for the salad, Emily could hear Kacey and Lulu laughing in the living room. There was a wall partially dividing the two rooms, so she couldn't see what they were up to, but the laughter made her feel fairly confident that it wasn't anything bad. Unfortunately, only seconds later she heard a loud crash and Ginger barked several times. And Kacey's gasp was palpable even from the other room.

She dashed into the living area to find her ten-month-old on the carpeted floor, laying on her side, eyes wide open and mouth agape. Emily knew that stunned expression, she knew her baby girl was about to let out a wail like that of a fog horn. But those first few seconds of shocked silence were agonizing. She carefully scooped up the baby and held her against her chest, a hand patting her back. "You're okay, Lu," Emily whispered.

The cries finally came, shrill at first until they slowly faded into pathetic hiccups. "What happened?" Emily asked the older girl, who was being far too quite to not be guilty of something.

Kacey shrugged. "She fell."

"What happened?" Emily asked again.

The seven-year-old gulped, knowing her mom was giving her the opportunity to come clean on her own. "Ginger was lying on the floor and Lulu kept trying to sit on her. Then Ginger stood up and Lulu was holding on like she was riding a horse. Then she fell off," Kacey explained.

"And you didn't have anything to do with this?" Emily's left brow raised, certain her daughter wasn't telling the whole truth.

"Well…" Kacey sighed in defeat. "Lulu wasn't really trying to sit on Ginger's back. I kinda made her get on Ginger and I was holding her on while Ginger walked around," she finally admitted. "But Lu thought it was fun, she was laughing. Until she fell off."

"Kacey Elizabeth Morgan," Emily growled all three names. "You are not to put your sister on Ginger's back like that again, ever. Ginger is a dog, not a horse. And Lulu could have gotten hurt a lot worse," she relayed. "Now, I want you to go up to your room for a few minutes and think about what you did wrong."

The girl's face fell. "But daddy's going to be home soon. You said I could ask him my important question," Kacey protested.

Emily maintained a stern look, even though she hated the part about parenthood which involved punishments. "Go, now," she pointed to the stairs. "You'll still see daddy, but right now I want you in your room," she held her ground.

"No fair," Kacey mumbled as she walked toward the stairs. "Lulu never gets punished."

A sigh escaped Emily's mouth as she looked to Lulu. "Your sister is right," she said as they moved into the kitchen. "Life is not fair." Emily kissed Lu's forehead as she gently searched for any signs of bruising or a lump on the baby's head. "But I'm sure you will endure your own share of punishments when you're older, my little daredevil." She kept the baby close as she put the pizza into the oven and washed the salad veggies. When the front door opened, Emily smiled at Lu. "Daddy's home," she whispered.

Derek made his way into the kitchen and was glad to find his wife. His arms snaked around her waist from behind and he kissed her cheek then her lips. He spotted Lulu resting her little head against Emily's shoulder, thumb in her mouth. "How was your day?" he asked them, feeling very much like some 1960's TV dad returning home to the wife and kids.

"Well, Lu had a very productive day," Emily replied as he let go of her waist and came around to face them. "She made off with several animals crackers and then crawled under the desk in the den to eat them. I nearly had a heart attack searching for twenty minutes until I found her. And when I did find her she had dust bunnies plastered to her face and hands. But I figure kids need to build up immunity to these things," she shrugged.

Morgan chuckled as he kissed Lu's cheek. "Well, she looks pretty clean now," he remarked. Something different about the baby caught his eye, though. "But what is this red mark on the side of her head?" he asked with concern.

"Ah-ha," Emily finally noticed the mark as well. "That must be from her recent horse riding adventure."

He frowned. "Do I even want to know," his eyes darted around the room noticing the lack of a seven-year-old. "And did it involve Kacey in some way?"

"She's been interned in her room," Emily replied. "But she has something important she wants to ask you, so you can go spring her. Dinner should be ready in about fifteen minutes."

Morgan took to the stairs and made his way to Kacey's room. He remembered another similar instance in which the young girl had been punished for an altercation with her sister, and he guessed those occurrences were only going to increase over the years as the girls got older. He knew Kacey loved her sister, but there was a large age gap and Lulu was most definitely the baby of the family, and spoiled to boot. "Hiya, kiddo," he greeted her.

Kacey smiled dimly as she sat on her bed, legs folded beneath her. Ginger was sprawled across the end of the bed, Kacey's one true friend no matter what. "He decided to gloss over what had happened earlier, figuring Emily had done a good job in her assessment of the accident and subsequent punishment. "Mommy said you're free to go," he let her know. "And she said you had something to ask me. What's up?"

The girl leapt from her bed and went to her desk where her school backpack was slung over the back of a chair. She unzipped the front pocket and then handed him the folded piece of green paper. "It's a dance," she said, smiling happily with anticipation.

He read the flyer. "Please join us for St. Mary's inaugural Daddy-Daughter Dance on Friday, March 17th from 5-8pm."

"Will you go with me, daddy?" Kacey asked. "Please?"

"I would be honored," Derek promptly agreed, hard pressed to remember a time when he hadn't been called daddy.

"Good," the girl smiled even brighter. "Mommy said I could get a new dress. I want a green one because it will be St. Patrick's Day. And maybe I can get new shoes, too, and some pretty clips for my hair, and…"

Morgan listened to her go on and grinned at how happy she seemed. "Well, you be sure to tell mommy that when you pick out the perfect dress she should get me a new tie that will coordinate with it. Okay?" he suggested.

She nodded enthusiastically. "It will be the best night ever, daddy."

xxx

Derek burst through their front door at 8:01pm on the night of March 17th. He dropped his black ready-bag, heart racing from having driven way too fast through Friday night traffic from Quantico in to Alexandria. His stomach was tied in knots as he emerged into the living room and found his wife seated on the floor with Lulu. The baby was clad in footy pajamas, but getting some last restlessness out of her system before bedtime as she stacked blocks and knocked them down. "Emily, I am so sor…"

"Don't apologize to me," Emily stopped him, flashing a sympathetic smile his way.

He scrubbed a hand over his bare head and then rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I've never disappointed her before. It feels awful," Derek lamented.

Emily got to her feet and went to his side. She pressed a soft kiss to his lips and wrapped her arms around him. "I missed five years of her life. _That_ was awful," she whispered. A hand moved up and down his left arm in a caring manner. "This was bound to happen sooner or later with our work schedules. I'm actually surprised it hasn't happened until now. Kacey is really upset right now, but she'll get over it eventually," Emily reassured him. "She's up in her room," her head nodded in the direction of the stairs.

Morgan didn't think he'd ever been more nervous in his life as he pushed Kacey's door open and peeked inside her room. The lamp by her bed was on and created a soft glow of light in the space. But her normally ordered room was a mess, stuffed animals strewn all over the place, several of her drawings crumpled and laying on the floor. And she was curled up on her bed, green dress still on, head buried against one of her favorite stuffed animal pillows.

He took a deep breath and sat down on her bed. "Kacey, honey…" he tried to get her attention. "Sweetheart, I am so sorry I missed your dance."

"You promised to go with me," her tiny voice replied, not looking up.

"I know," Morgan nodded. "And I tried so hard to keep that promise, brave girl. But my case was really important. I know you probably think that sounds like an excuse, and maybe you can't understand right now, but…"

She sniffed and sat up. "I understand," Kacey looked him in the eye. "I know you and mommy catch bad guys, like the bad guy, Paul, who took me," she relayed with first-hand knowledge that no seven-year-old should know. "But I really, really, really wanted to go to that dance with you, daddy."

"And I really, really, really wanted to go to that dance with you," he honestly replied. Derek noticed her green dress. It was satiny and frilly around the edges. There was a sash around the middle that was a slightly lighter hue of green and embroidered butterflies danced across the bodice. "You look like a fairy princess," he told her with a smile. "So beautiful, so much like your mom," Derek noticed.

Kacey rooted around under her pillow and pulled out something. She handed it to him. "I helped mommy pick it out for you."

The tie was a simple stripe on the diagonal, alternating widths of green, silver and black. "It's perfect, Kace," he said as he loosened the blue one still hanging around his neck. Derek then fashioned the new one around his neck. "How does it look?"

Her lips curled a little. "I like it."

"Then…" he stood and extended his hand to her. "Shall we go to the dance?"

"Daddy," she looked at him with curious eyes. "It's over."

"No, it's not," he shook his head and reached out to lift her into his arms. "It's just about to begin," Morgan said. He carried her downstairs and into the living room where Emily was snuggled with Lu on the sofa, reading a book to the baby. "Hello, ladies. We are about to have our very own daddy-daughter dance," Morgan announced.

Emily grinned, happy to see that the two of them were in such high spirits. "In that case…" she gently placed Lu back on the floor. "You'll need some dancing music," Emily concluded as she went to the stereo system across the room. She quickly flipped through the iPod docked in the stereo and found a good song. The smooth piano sounds filtered through the speakers and she watched with pride as Derek began to dance with Kacey around their living room.

Kacey's green dress swished and flowed easily with each dance step. She looked up to her father, smiling constantly. "I love you, daddy," she told him.

"I love you too, Kace," he tenderly kissed the top of her head as they continued to dance.

Lulu pulled herself up on Derek's pant leg and everyone laughed as she clung to him. "I think Lu wants to be at the daddy-daughter dance, too," Kacey smiled, not feeling jealous about her little sister's intrusion of the moment. She simply took one of the baby's hands so they could both dance with their father.

* * *

**End**


	75. Sunrise

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Sunrise**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily woke to the insistent shaking of her shoulder by her seven-year-old son. She groaned and used a small pinch light on her keychain to glance at the time on her watch. It was five o'clock on the nose. Peter was not normally an earlier riser but he was restless and excited for their special outing. "Mommy, we have to go real early," the boy whispered. "Daddy said the fish will still be sleeping if we go early," the boy explained.

She smiled and glanced across the tent to find her husband still softly snoring in his flannel-lined sleeping bag. "Okay," she nodded, grabbing the lantern to gain more light. "You wake daddy up and we'll go, as promised," she assured the boy.

Peter immediately jumped to his feet, able to stand in the high-domed tent. "Yes!" he exclaimed happily.

An unintelligible noise emitted from Derek's mouth. He opened one eye to see what was going on, having heard his son's voice. "Good," Emily said as she crawled over to the foot of his sleeping bag to gain access to their gear. "You're awake," she grinned, tugging on Peter's backpack to free it from the stack. "Here, buddy," Emily handed it to the boy. "Put on clean underwear and layer up because it will be cold this morning."

Morgan sat up, still chasing away the remnants of sleep by blinking and yawning. "What time is it?" he asked in a groggy voice.

"Little after five," Emily responded. "Fishing, remember? Your idea."

"Right," he nodded, watching her grab clean clothes out of their packs. Derek smiled as he grabbed her waist and pulled her onto his lap. He brought his lips to hers and initiated a kiss. A second later they broke apart, both noses crinkled.

"Why is it that kissing first thing in the morning always looks so romantic in the movies or on TV?" Emily asked, licking her dry lips and realizing that her morning breath wasn't any better than Derek's chalky mouth.

He chuckled. "Because movies are fiction and actors get to brush their teeth two seconds before they kiss," Derek said as he kissed her again, this time on the cheek.

"Mommy, daddy," Peter stood over them with a disapproving look in his eyes. He was bundled in jeans with long-johns underneath, a t-shirt, sweatshirt and hat. "The sun will be up soon. We have to go," he tried to hurry them along.

Emily aimed a finger toward the keys atop her sleeping bag. "Go to the car and get a granola bar and a juice box for breakfast," she instructed the boy. "And do not wander off. Your dad and I will be dressed in a minute and join you," she assured him, watching as Peter grabbed the keys and his flashlight. The metallic hum of the tent zipper traveling up and down signaled the boy's exit. "Where does he get that bossy nature from?" she questioned her husband as they stripped down and pulled on new clothes.

"All you," Derek insisted.

She exaggeratedly rolled her eyes at his comment, figuring he'd blame her. When the two of them exited the tent they found Peter seated at the picnic table eating. He even had granola bars and juice set out for them. He also had their fishing poles laid out and the tackle box as well. "Someone is an eager beaver," Emily quipped, snatching up her pole and the meager breakfast. She also retrieved her keys, went to the SUV and grabbed the cooler she'd packed the night before for their outing.

The three of them set off, walking along a narrow trail because they didn't want to take their vehicle. It was a short walk to the launching dock where they'd tied up the twelve-foot aluminum boat, which had been borrowed from Rossi for the trip. The campground had a quiet-hours restriction that didn't lift until 8am, so they'd planned accordingly the previous night. Derek carted his and Peter's poles while the boy manned their flashlight, illuminating the rocks and twigs so they could see in the still mostly-dark morning.

"Daddy, look," Peter stopped in his tracks and shown the light on something a few feet away.

Both adults followed the light's beam and spotted the dark snake curled up near a tall tree. "Okay, we can keep walking now," Emily reacted, taking a step back.

"You're not scared of snakes, are you?" Derek asked, realizing the issue had never come up before.

"Scared?" she shook her head. "No, I actually find them quite fascinating. But my snake policy involves giving them a wide berth and hoping they show me the same courtesy."

Peter examined the reptile closely for a few more seconds. "It's just an Eastern Kingsnake, mommy," he reported as they took off again. "He wouldn't bite you, he's pretty harmless to people like us," the boy assured. "He kills prey by squeezing them, even venomous snakes. That's why he's called a king."

"How does he know this stuff?" Emily shrugged in a questioning manner.

"He reads a lot, like his mother," Derek said, pressing his lips against her temple.

Evergreens lined the trail they walked, with some 16,000 acres of land encompassing the entirety of Cumberland State Forest where they were camped. It was so quiet that Emily could hear every crunch of their footsteps against the ground. She listened to the distant hoot of an owl and some sort of sharp chirp that sounded every few seconds; a bird whose song she didn't recognize. After the last few months of difficult cases, the long weekend away with Derek and Peter was a true gift, even if they did have to wake up so early.

At the dock, Derek organized all the gear in the boat while Emily secured her life vest and then Peter's. She carefully helped the boy into the boat and Derek got in last, pushing off from the wooden dock before he started the small outboard motor. The boat glided slowly across the pristine calmness of the water. A hazy bit of fog edged the perimeter of Bear Creek Lake, the last remains of a chilly night. Morgan guided the boat to a secluded spot at the far end of the lake where no campers or other humans were likely to be. He cut the motor several yards from his destination and used a single fiberglass paddle to take them the rest of the way.

"You have to be very quiet when fishing, right, daddy?" Peter asked as he watched his father secure a jib to the end of his line.

"That's right, Spiderman," Morgan replied, handing his son the pole and going about attaching his own jib. "Fish like to hide out in the quietest, calmest places they can find."

"Me too," Emily whispered, smiling as she watched the boy and his father.

Peter reflected everything his father did, holding his fishing pole in the same manner, sitting up straight and wearing a mask of concentration on his smaller face. Derek effortlessly cast his line into the lake and then helped Peter with his. "You need any help?" Morgan asked, looking to his wife in the bow of the boat.

Her head shook a little. "No, thank you," Emily replied. She had her jib in place after one failed attempt. Then she sent her line sailing over the still waters. It plunked into the lake with a satisfying weight. "Caught a lot of trout with my grandfather when I was younger," her lips curled into a smile as the memories took hold. "That was a long time ago, but it feels kind of like riding a bike," she let him know.

"Right, the French Alps grandfather," he recalled. She didn't talk about him much, but Derek could see his memory living on in the granddaughter. His eyes regarded the lake for a moment but fell upon Peter again seconds later as the three of them waited patiently and hopeful. "My dad used to take me out fishing on Lake Michigan," his voice was thick with memory. "Well, we rarely went out on the lake. Mostly we'd stand on the pier and cast our lines into the choppy waters. Some mornings we'd head home with a full bucket. Other mornings we'd come up empty and then go to Mackey's Diner and drown our sorrows in a stack of buttermilk pancakes."

Emily loved hearing him talk about his father. He'd been a little reluctant to say much about the man the first time Peter had asked about his grandpa Morgan. But in recent months, since Peter's birthday, there'd been a bit of an outpouring of old stories. She continued to listen to Derek go on about the steelhead they'd catch and his mother's disgust of how they'd come home reeking of fish and smelling up her home. As she listened to Derek talk and Peter laugh softly, the sun finally peeked up over the horizon. The golden light sent rays shooting through the trees, casting patterns across the shimmering lake. Behind the sun, the sky was streaked with red and purple so vivid it looked like an acrylic painting.

"Daddy," Peter looked up at his father, eyes wide as he bounced his pole a little in the hopes his jib would catch the eye of a curious fish below the surface. "Someday when I'm older and have kids, will you go fishing with us?" he asked.

Derek caught Emily watching them and they shared a smile. "I'd love that, buddy," he answered.

"And you'll come with us, too, right mommy?" the boy quickly added.

"You bet I will," she happily agreed. Emily sniffed back a sentimental tear as she felt a gentle tug on the end of her line. "Hey…" she was hesitant to say anything at first, uncertain of what she'd felt. Then another tug followed the first, much sharper. It was followed by several more strong jerks of her line. "I think I've got something here," Emily sat up straighter and planted her feet. She saw Morgan and Peter turn their attention to her with genuine interest.

"Hold on tight," Derek instructed, watching her line zip back and forth.

She nodded, biting her lower lip in concentration. "I know," Emily protested his help. Of course, it had been over twenty years since she'd last caught a fish. But she wanted to pull this one in on her own. Emily grasped the reel and slowly drew her prize in. For a brief moment she feared it might be an old boot or something equally disappointing, but when the glossy silver fish with a pattern of black spots emerged she was rather proud of herself. It felt nice to catch something other than an UnSub for once.

"What kind of fish is that, daddy?" Peter asked. His seven-year-old expertise laid more in reptiles and land mammals than anything that swam underwater.

Morgan leaned forward and grabbed the end of Emily's line, bringing the fish into the boat. "This is a black crappie," he told the boy as he laid the fish on the aluminum seat. Derek carefully unhooked the fish and tossed it into the bucket of water he'd brought with them. "He's a beauty, Em," Morgan said. "Some people think they're the best tasting fresh water fish," he further informed his son, eyes flicking to Emily again. "I guess we'll find out tonight. You do know that the first one to catch a fish gets to clean and cook them later, right?"

"Oh, really?" her brows rose. "Who made up that rule?"

"I did," he grinned. "Just now."

"Uh, huh," Emily nodded as she prepared her line again. "I figured as much."

Peter paid little attention to his parent's banter, focusing on his line and the lake again. "I'm going to catch the next one," he declared with conviction.

* * *

**End**


	76. Sunset

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Sunset**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Their campsite was situated right along the water and Emily sat on the grassy edge of land a few yards from the lake. She watched Peter tossing rocks into the water, trying to skip them the way Derek had shown him earlier in the day. A fuzzy disk of red-orange sunshine was setting behind the boy, casting a shade of translucent pink toward the tops of the tall trees. The color increased incrementally into a rich, dark raspberry hue near the horizon. Emily thought about their day as it began to fade. They'd caught more fish and hiked. Then they'd eaten their fish, which Derek had cleaned and she'd gladly cooked.

Morgan's footsteps swept across the grass until he was standing beside her. "I could hear your head pounding from all the way across the campground," he said as his legs bent and he plopped down onto the ground beside her. Derek regarded her far-away look before his eyes caught on Peter. "I was making sure the boat was secure down at the dock and I swear I could hear the thump-thump of Emily Morgan's brain as it tried to think its way out of her ears," he grinned, turning to run a hand along her shoulder.

"What are you going on about?" she flashed a look his way that was amused, but still a little distant.

His fingers caressed the nape of her neck. "You were just deeply lost in thought. I can tell, because I've known you a very long time. So, what was it all about?"

"Peter," she breathed out her son's name with genuine love and a hint of melancholy. "I just now realized that I completely forgot my camera when we were out fishing this morning. He caught his first fish and I have no picture documentation of it. I can't ever get that moment back now."

It seemed a trivial thing to him. "We can go out again tomorrow and you can get your shot, pretend it was his first," Derek suggested.

"It's not the same. I'll know it," Emily shrugged.

"And the other load of thoughts?" he questioned.

She sighed, but a soft smile edged her dark eyes. "You're right," Emily looked to him. "You've known me too long."

"Nah, I didn't say _too_ long, just a long time." Morgan's hand remained against the back of her neck, his open palm a strong and steady force in her life. "I could never know you _too_ long," he assured her, leaning in to press a kiss against her cheek. Derek left several more kisses along the path to her lips where they met in a passionate greeting. His forehead rested against hers. "I was thinking maybe we could push our sleeping bags together tonight," his brows arched.

Her body shook with silent laughter. "The whole point of putting Peter between us is to avoid such things. The tent is far too small for us to be intimate with him that close."

Derek's shoulders sagged. "Well, next campout I'm buying Peter a separate tent."

Emily smiled, leaning her head against his shoulder as her eyes fell upon Peter again. "I was thinking that I like when he calls me mommy," she finally revealed her heavier thoughts to him. "But at school he's already taken to calling me mom in front of his friends."

"That was bound to happen," Morgan responded.

A wistful sigh escaped her lips as she nodded. "In private, like this weekend, we're still mommy and daddy but even that will fade pretty soon. Before you know it he'll turn into a moody teenager. His voice will change, he'll start having facial hair and lock himself in the bathroom for more than a half hour at a time to… you know. And then there'll be girls. They'll come around the house and politely call me Mrs. Morgan and smile, but then they'll take off with Peter and probably have sex with him in the back of his car."

"Wow," Derek felt a little whiplashed from how quickly his son had just grown up in Emily's mind. "And when this whole moody teenager syndrome hits, hanging on to a picture of him having caught his first fish would've saved you from completely losing it?" he joked.

"It might have," she shrugged. "But now, I'm afraid you're screwed buddy, because I will be venting all my frustrations on you."

"I doubt it," Morgan shook his head. "I'll be off with my twenty-five year old blonde girlfriend cruising around in the red convertible I buy during my mid-life crisis. Actually, by the time Peter becomes a teenager it will be more like a three-quarter life crises. Either way, you can deal with the kid," he quipped.

Emily pulled back and punched him hard in the shoulder. "Not funny."

"You started it," he stuck his tongue out at her like a child and rubbed his shoulder. "You know, we have about five dozen photo albums stuffed full of pictures from the first six years of Petey's life. I'm sure that's enough to at least see you through till the end of his college days," Morgan said. "Then hopefully he'll meet a genuinely nice girl who only wants to have sex with him in their marital bed, and they'll produce a grandchild or two for us. And we'll take those grandkids fishing and snap the perfect shot of them catching their first fish."

"I suppose that is what grandparenthood is for, righting all the wrongs of parenthood," Emily reasoned, thinking of how involved her parents liked to be in Peter's life.

He drew her close again, kissing her temple. "Forgetting to take a picture of him catching a fish is hardly a major parenthood failure," Derek hoped to ease her troubled mind a little more. "And we should try not to worry about the future until it happens."

Peter jogged toward them with something grasped in his left hand. The boy didn't even hesitate as he sat down on his mother's lap and rested his back against her chest. "Look, mommy," he retracted his finger and revealed a perfectly white and smooth rock resting in the naturally golden skin of his palm. "It's a present for you," he insisted, carefully transferring it to her hand as if it were made of gold.

"That's really soft," Emily remarked, rubbing her thumb across the rock's surface.

"Maybe the water makes it that way," the boy shrugged.

She smiled proudly. "I think you're right. Thank you, Peter, I love it. And I love you," a kiss was placed on his cheek.

"I love you, too, mommy," he replied. "More than the size of an elephant," the boy added.

Emily's smile beamed bright as she recalled when he'd first learned about elephants on a family trip to the zoo. He'd been four years old at the time and was mesmerized by their hefty magnitude. Peter had decided that elephants must be the most loved animal because of their size. He'd told her that day that he loved her even more than the size of an elephant, because to his four-year-old mind that was akin to an infinite amount of love. "You're never going to stop calling me mommy, are you?"

"Why would I?" Peter seemed a little confused by the question. "That's what you are," he stated plainly, as if it had been a very silly question for her to have asked. "Are we going home tomorrow?" the boy was curious.

Her lips pressed together flatly as she shook her head. "Nope, tomorrow is Saturday. We're not leaving until Sunday morning."

"Good, because I want to catch some more fish tomorrow," Peter let them know. "Today I caught my first fish on a Friday. And tomorrow I can catch my first fish on a Saturday."

She chuckled happily to hear him explain his way of seeing things. Emily caught Derek's eye and they shared a smile, each of them realizing how the boy had just cured her dilemma with the ease of innocent thinking. "You're right, buddy," Emily held him closer, his cheek pressed against hers. She remembered holding him like that as a baby when his skin had been impossibly soft, kind of like the while rock in her hand. "And I'll be sure to have a camera with me tomorrow so I can capture you catching that first fish on a Saturday."

Morgan grinned contentedly as he watched the two of them in their embrace, the pink-red sunset fading around them. "Wish I had a camera right now," he whispered, wanting to log the moment for posterity. But instead, he stored the memory in his mind.

* * *

**End**


	77. Quiet

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Quiet**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily lay curled up on the sofa, sipping coffee, still lounging in the cotton yoga pants and hoodie attire which she'd been wearing all morning. A gentle heat drifted across the room from the blaze burning in the fireplace. It had been a nice, quiet holiday so far and she hoped for that to continue. Campbell crept up beside her, nudging her hand. He sniffed and licked her fingers. She reciprocated with a hearty scratch behind both ears. Seconds later he leapt onto the sofa and settled down beside her, his snout pressed against her belly.

"Hey, mister," Emily frowned at the dog. "That was not an invitation. You know you're not allowed on the furniture," she scolded. The dog cocked his head to one side and gave a pathetic little whine, his dark eyes pleading. "Fine, you can stay for a little while," she caved. "But only because it's Christmas. Just don't tell anyone."

"You're going soft," Derek said, making his presence in the room known.

She jumped, turned her head toward him and smiled. "Guilty," her shoulders shrugged, suddenly not caring that she'd been found out. "But I'd rather have you snuggled next to me," she let him know with a lift of her brows. "How's that Harry Potter Lego castle coming?"

"Good," he leaned against the back of the sofa, seeing that Campbell had plans to bogart his girlfriend for a little longer. "We're about half done. I'm glad we opted to construct it up in her room, though. That thing is bigger than I realized, but she seems to like it a lot."

"I love that kid, she is easy to please," Emily grinned. Their newly installed doorbell rang and she sank further into her cozy nest, giving the dog a soft pat on the head. "Could you get that?" she asked of Morgan. "It's probably my parents, and… you know… I'm kinda trapped here."

He shook his head at her lame excuse, dipped down to kiss her quickly on the lips and then headed for the door. "Joe, Liz," he greeted the two people standing outside in the freezing weather. "Merry Christmas," Derek ushered them inside to get out of the cold. "Your daughter is glued to the sofa being lazy, so can I take your coats?" he offered.

"I heard that!" Emily called from across the house.

Derek smiled as her parents shed their outer layers of jackets, scarves, a hat and gloves. "Apparently one of her super hero powers is enhanced hearing," he quipped.

"Heard that too!" she said.

The three chuckled and made their way into the living room where Emily had pushed Campbell off the sofa and was actually seated upright. Both parents indulged her laziness, coming to her as they all exchanged hugs and Christmas greetings. Elizabeth sat down on the sofa beside her daughter. "Where's Michelle?" she asked, glancing over at the small tree in the corner that was devoid of gifts. "You already opened presents?"

"Yeah," Emily hoped her parents wouldn't be too disappointed. "A few gardening tools, some seeds and a Lego set is all she wanted, which took about ten minutes to open."

Joseph smiled knowingly. "Reminds me of a little girl I once knew whose idea of the perfect Christmas gift was a set of encyclopedias."

"That had to be Emily Prentiss," Derek laughed heartily at that gem of knowledge.

Quiet footsteps alerted them all to the child walking down the open stairway behind them. "Hi Grandpa and Grandma," the dark-haired girl greeted them, meandering into the room. Her hair was braided, having grown out quite a lot since having most of its length clipped off last Christmas. She was also still dressed in cotton pajama pants and long-sleeve shirt. She gave both her grandparents hugs and sat down on the sofa between the two women.

"Are you having a good Christmas, peanut?" Joe asked the girl.

"Yes, very good. I got a Hogwarts Castle Lego set. It's really neat, do you wanna see?" Michelle asked.

"Maybe a little later," the man agreed. "But how about one more gift first?" he offered, pulling a miniature envelope from his back pocket. Joe handed it to the child. "This is from your grandma and me. I have a hunch it's something you'll like."

Michelle eyed the plain white envelope, curious about the package. She quickly flipped the flap open and pulled out a gift-card sized piece of paper. The child read it over and her mouth dropped open. She looked to her grandfather and then grandmother. "Is this for real?" she asked. "I really get to do this?"

Elizabeth let a hand smooth its way down Michelle's silky braid. "It's real. There are actually two in there, one for your friend as well."

"What is it, chaton?" Emily questioned, guessing it had to be pretty special.

The girl checked and saw that there were indeed two copies of the paper voucher. "They're tickets so that Ellie and I can actually swim with the dolphins when we go to Sea World this time," she revealed. "A private swim with a trainer and two dolphins!"

"Wow," Derek was impressed. "That's awesome, kiddo."

"Thank you so much," Michelle hugged each grandparent again. Then she turned to Emily. "Mom, can I go call Ellie right now and tell her about this? Please?" she begged.

Emily nodded. "Sure, but make it a short call. Your grandparents came to spend the day with us. No being rude," she warned.

"It'll be quick, promise," Michelle vowed before jetting off toward the staircase.

"That is a very generous gift," Emily told her parents once Michelle was out of hearing range. "Especially the part about including Ellie."

"Well, it wouldn't be any fun if her friend had to stand by and watch," Elizabeth noted. "So, she's calling you mom now?" the woman asked, surprised by the news.

"Oh, right…" Emily nodded. "Yeah, she was actually the one to bring that up. We all discussed it when we were in Chicago a few weeks ago. It was really her decision to make."

"And it's still a little tentative," Morgan jumped in. "Sometimes we're mom and dad and sometimes we're still Emily and Derek," he explained.

Joseph Prentiss wore a pleased smile. "I think that's great."

Emily was glad to gain her father's approval, but she noticed that her mother seemed rather quiet about the situation. "Does that bother you, mom?" she finally asked. "It's something Michelle said that Anna actually wrote in a note to her, telling her it was okay if she wanted."

The older woman snapped out of her trance. "No," she shook her head. "I'm sorry. It is wonderful for you," her eyes flicked from her daughter to Derek. "Both of you, and for Michelle. I'm so glad she's been adjusting well to everything these last few months. It's just," her voice trembled a little as she reached for her daughter's hand. "I miss her."

"I miss her, too," Emily whispered, wrapping both arms around her mother. In the months since her sister's death the two of them had grown much closer. It was still a learning process for them both, but it seemed to get easier with each new step. Moments later they broke apart, the men still flanking them and quietly lending their support. "We've all been going through a pretty big adjustment period. But it's going to get better, it will," she assured her mother.

Elizabeth nodded, swiping a few tears away. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to do that. Especially on a holiday. I'm just glad Michelle didn't witness it." Campbell came around the sofa and stopped in front of her. He nudged her hands with his snout, cozying up to the woman. Liz reached out to stroke his golden coat and the dog sat down in front of her, eagerly hoping for more attention, his tail flapping loudly against the carpeted floor.

"I think he likes you," Morgan observed.

"Yep," Emily leaned over to caress the dog. "I think he's a very sensitive guy. He picks up on all our emotions and he's trying to lend comfort in his own way," she smiled appreciatively at the dog who it had taken her a while to warm up to. "I also think he's trying to butter you up," Emily noted as she eyed her mother. "Because he knows we're going to ask if you'll watch him while we're in California next week."

"Is that so?" Liz addressed the dog in a baby-talk tone Emily didn't think she'd ever heard from her mother before. "Well, I think that would be nice. A chance to get to know my grand-dog better," she voiced, petting the lab.

Emily caught Derek's attention and mouthed the words, grand dog, in a questioning manner. He leaned in, whispering for her ears only. "I think we should refrain from telling her that he still has accidents on bathroom floors," Derek decided.

She nodded with a quiet chuckle.

* * *

**End**


	78. Rides

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Rides**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

California sun beat down on their cheeks as the metallic click, click, click, of the roller coaster drew them closer to the summit of their first downward plunge. Derek glanced over his shoulder to make sure the two girls behind him were doing all right. Ellie wore a grin of anticipation, which amused him a great deal. She was still one of the quietest kids he'd ever known, yet she seemed to enjoy the thrill rides just as much as he did. Michelle wore more of a wary look, though, tightly gripping the safety bars locked over her shoulders.

His focus aimed forward again, toward the Los Angeles cityscape spread out for miles in front of them as they kept climbing. He and the woman beside him had the very best view from the front row seats he'd managed at snag. But, as he turned to glance over at Emily, Derek wondered if his choice of seating might have been a mistake. "You okay?" he asked, even though it was a little too late to turn back now.

Emily's head nodded as she peered out through half-closed eyes. "Yeah, just the sun is kind of bright in my eyes," she replied.

It was a little white lie, he could tell. "If you're afraid of roller coasters you could've…"

She cut him off before he could finish. "I'm not afraid," Emily protested, shaking her head. "Just not terribly fond of…" her words got sucked away as they sped over the crest of the man-made arch and zoomed downward at an alarming speed.

Morgan completely forgot about her unease as he whooped and grinned through each hairpin turn and loop that the ride took them on. And when their coaster car pulled to a stop after what seemed like a very short time to him, he was ready to go again. Or at least, ready to try out another of the many thrill rides at the Magic Mountain Park. "That was great," he said as the four of them walked away from the ride.

"It was fun," Ellie agreed, her voice soft but her eyes lit with excitement.

"I didn't really like it that much," Michelle wasn't afraid to voice her differing opinion.

"I need a drink," Emily mumbled in accord with her niece, both of them clearly not as thrilled by their thrill ride experience as Derek and Ellie. "Some water would be nice," she aimed her request at Derek with a lift of her brows. "I think that ride blasted all the moisture out of my eyes."

Derek noticed that the girls were also clamoring for something to drink. He went with them to a nearby stand while Emily procured a table and plunked down in one of the chairs. When Morgan and the girls rejoined her and presented the bottle of water to her, Emily downed half of it in one gulp and then glared at him. "Since we're here a whole day before our Sea World visit, let's take the girls to Six Flags," she repeated, verbatim, what he'd suggested earlier in the day. "It'll be fun and relaxing," Emily added the last of his words, and then she contributed a few of her own. "I'm sorry, but how is going on a ton of roller coaster rides your idea of relaxing?"

"Come on, Em, how can you not love thrill-rides?" he asked with genuine wonder. "You get to go really fast and there're all sorts of twists and turns…"

"No kidding," Emily replied. "I thought for sure we were going to fall off that last turn up there," she took another sip of water. "Is chasing UnSubs not enough thrill for you?"

He watched the girls as they sat across the table sipping their sodas and chatting in low voices, trying to pretend they didn't see his hand on Emily's knee. "I guess it takes my mind off things, which is relaxing to me," Derek finally revealed with a shrug. "But…" his hand moved to caress the back of her neck. "I guess that's not everyone's preferred stress reliever," he acknowledged. Then he kissed her, briefly at first, which rolled into a slightly more passionate union. Morgan hoped to ease any ruffled feathers, but her furrowed brow was cause for concern on his part. "Are you mad?" he smoothed a thumb over her cheek. "You look kinda mad."

"No," Emily breathed out, savoring the sweet cola taste that had transferred from his lips to hers. She felt just a little bit bad for being growly with him when she knew he was only trying to do something that he thought the girls would enjoy, and which also seemed to help him relax. "I'm sorry. I guess I just prefer rides that are a little calmer in nature."

"What, like merry-go-rounds?" he taunted.

She frowned, knowing he was intentionally trying to irk her now. "No, I kind of prefer things like… log rides, water rides."

"I see…" he nodded dramatically, his fingers deftly massaging the back of her neck. "So, if I'm reading into this right, you like to float through life but occasionally have large outbursts of emotion, like that big drop at the end of most water rides," Morgan made an analogy.

"Well, according to your love of roller coasters, it seems your life has a lot of high and low points with no real middle ground in between. You're just an up and down succession of emotions." Emily observed. Then she cracked a smile, chuckling softly. "Did we just try to profile one another based on our amusement ride preferences?"

Morgan grinned. "I think so, yes," he concurred.

"Huh," Emily let out a quick breath, rubbing her left thumb over the condensation on her bottle of water. "Our lives have become really pathetic, haven't they?"

He kissed the side of her head, both of them ignoring the way the girls giggled every time they showed affection for one another. "We're not pathetic," Derek whispered for her ears only as his hand dropped to the small of her back. "What's really bugging you? Because I get the feeling it's more than a thrill ride sort of thing."

She shrugged but could tell he wasn't planning to let it go. "It's just… there are certain times during the month when everything feels kind of annoying and… you know, I get rather growly at anyone in my path," Emily didn't want to fully spell it out for him.

He smiled sympathetically, understanding washing over him. "You should have said something earlier, Em." He'd grown up with three women in the house so he certainly wasn't bashful about the inner workings of a woman's body, namely the monthly friend that came to visit. "That's okay," he reasoned. "The day is still young. Why don't we ditch this place, cruise on down to San Diego earlier than planned and do some real relaxing before our big day at Sea World tomorrow?" he suggested. "Sound good?" Morgan watched as she was about to say something in protest. He raised a hand. "It doesn't matter how much I spent for us to get into this park. No money worries, okay. Just nod and agree," he encouraged.

"It sounds excellent," Emily approved. She took another small drink of her water and eyed the young girls seated across from them. Her lips pressed against his ear as she leaned into him. "And maybe we can get a suite in which the girls have their own room," Emily added to the plan. "And maybe we can provide them with movies and pizza to keep them entertained? Then you and I can order room service. Strawberries, whip cream…" her left hand crept along his thigh beneath the table.

"Oh, yeah…" he drew out the words, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Morgan knew that, along with her growly nature, she became a bit insatiable when it came to other things in the days leading up to that particular juncture of the month. He promptly got to his feet, figuring it would be wisest to pull away from Emily before the girls grew embarrassed by their public displays of affection. "I think all that can be arranged," he agreed.

xxx

Emily sat with her back against Derek's chest as they reclined on one of the aluminum benches in the front row of the Sea World dolphin stadium. It was a slightly chillier day than the one before, but still only a notch below seventy in the southern California city. Which was a nice escape from the snow falling back East at the moment. She closed her eyes and relived bits of the pleasurable night she'd spent with Derek at their hotel room yesterday. Morgan had followed through, almost exactly to the letter of the plan she'd suggested, complete with a king-sized bed that had been clear on the other side of their suite from the girls' room.

Morgan wrapped his arms around Emily a little tighter, guessing at what she was thinking about. He'd splurged on the hotel suite. It was an extraordinarily lavish room that had cost him a month's salary for the three night stay they were making. But it was worth it. Putting a smile on Emily's face was always worth it. "Do you remember last year when we were here in California together?" she asked.

His fingers skimmed languidly along the path of her bare arm and joined the fingers of her left hand. He brought that hand up to his mouth, kissed her palm softly and then repositioned himself so he could kiss her properly on the lips. "I do remember last year," he finally spoke. "I recall that I had to sleep in a room by myself. And how could I forget the moment when you decided to… how did you put it?" he paused for a second. "Become stupid?"

She laughed, nodding her head at the same time. "I'm glad I decided to be stupid for once in my life."

"I'm glad that you've been stupid all year," he whispered.

A small chuckle escaped her lips at his response, but the moment was interrupted. "Look!" Emily exclaimed, sitting up straighter and using her right index finger to point toward the large aqua-colored pool of water stretched out before them. "There they go," she needlessly informed him as they both watched Ellie and Michelle swimming with the dolphins, each holding onto the dorsal fin of one of the animals. "Are you recording this?" she asked as the girls zipped across the water right in front of them.

Derek had already fished the small digital video recorder out of his pocket and hit the record button just before she asked the question. The device had been a Christmas gift from Emily's parents so they could capture all the fun of their vacation, and whatever moments they deemed significant to their family life thereafter. "Now that looks like a fun ride," Derek noted as he followed them the best he could with the camera.

"I agree," Emily replied, delighted to see the girls looking so happy, particularly Ellie. They hadn't seen the child since her summer trip out East, but they'd heard small bits of information relayed by Michelle. And from the sound of it, Ellie was still kind of just muddling through life. Which made Emily glad they were able to do something fun with the girl, even if it was only for a limited amount of time.

He cut the recording short when Michelle's grasp on her dolphin slipped, sending her crashing into the wake of the animal's path. Ellie quickly let go of her dolphin, swimming back to make sure Michelle was okay. And the trainer supervising them rushed over to make sure they were both all right. Derek lowered the recorder to his lap and wrapped his arms around Emily again, confident that the girl's were fine. "Still not as fun as the ride we took last night, though," he whispered.

One of her hands slapped his forearm. "Stop it, someone could hear you," Emily glanced around the area, thankful that no one else was nearby.

"That's not what you were saying last night," Morgan purred in her ear.

Her jaw dropped, head swiveling to stare at him. "You're behaving rather impishly today." A look of worry and embarrassment suddenly crossed over her face when she noticed the recorder resting on his thigh. "Please tell me you do not still have that thing on."

"Nah," he assured her. "Why, would you be embarrassed if there was picture or audio evidence of how much I love you?"

"Um, if it involved us doing more than kissing, then yes," she nodded.

Derek smiled. "Imagine that, us agreeing on something."

"We agree on a lot of things," Emily returned.

"Oh, we do?" he looked doubtful of the fact. One of the things that actually seemed to keep their relationship rolling was the way they often quibbled over issues, from the small stuff like what sort of coffee to buy, to the larger issues of child rearing and finances. "Like what?" Derek asked in a challenging tone.

"Agreeing to be Michelle's parents and love her as our own kid," she quickly replied.

Morgan smiled. "Okay, I'll give you that one. That was actually amazingly easy to agree on," he acknowledged. "And I think we can both agree that Campbell is a spoiled puppy."

"Maybe by you," she shot back. "But I do not spoil…" Emily stopped short, spotting the look on his face that told her he could already see right through whatever flimsy protest she was about to make. She gave in with a tiny shrug. "Okay, so I guess I've contributed to his becoming spoiled," she finally copped to her part in the matter. Emily faced him full on, her fingertips gently tracing the line of his goatee. "I think we can also agree that I love you, and you love me."

"Hmm, I can certainly agree that you're a big 'ol sap at certain times of the month," he playfully intoned, kissing her several times in quick succession. "So, what do you think about checking out that Journey to Atlantis ride after the girls are done?" he suggested. "I think I could learn to like calm, relaxing rides that aren't afraid to take a big plunge once in a while. I did take a chance on you after all," he grinned cheekily.

"Ugh," Emily rolled her eyes, pressing her back to his chest once more. "Can we please vow to never use amusement park analogies again?"

Derek chuckled, kissing her cheek. "Agreed."

* * *

**End**


	79. Yes

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Yes**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The hypnotic sound of Mission Bay's tide rolling onto the shore was about to lull Emily to sleep as she lay curled up beside Derek on the sandy beach. His right arm was snaked about her waist, his muscled hand gently resting against her abdomen. The fire they'd had going since dust was already burning down in anticipation of the midnight hour. Ellie and Michelle were using the last of the embers to roast more marshmallows. They'd probably eaten a dozen S'mores between them, enough sugar to make Emily guess they'd be up until the crack of dawn. But it was New Years Eve and she didn't much care.

"Did you two enjoy your Sea World adventure this year?" Derek asked.

"The dolphin encounter was excellent," Ellie answered first. "I already made a thank you card for Joe and Liz. Michelle helped me with it this morning before we came to the beach."

Emily smiled proudly to hear that. She loved how thoughtful both girls were and hoped they never grew out of that stage, although those moody pre-teen years were quickly approaching, soon to be followed by the actual teen years. "You're very sweet," Emily was sure to let the girl know. "I'm sure they'll appreciate it."

"I love Sea World," Michelle spoke, her voice low as she pulled her marshmallow away from the flame to check its readiness with her thumb and index finger. "But…" she paused to lick a small bit of white fluff from her fingers.

"What is it, chaton?" Emily asked, sensing some hesitation on the girl's part.

Michelle shrugged; resting her roasting stick across her knees as she carefully pulled the rest of the squishy treat off. "I really love seeing the whales and dolphins and sharks at Sea World, but I also feel kind of sad when I see them because they're not out in the ocean. I know the ocean is their natural habitat, and I wonder if they miss it," she finally voiced her reservations, sounding older than her not-quite ten years of life.

"They said all the dolphins there were born in captivity," Ellie jumped in, her eleven years of life also seeming vast. "It makes me kind of sad too sometimes, seeing them stuck in small tanks. But I think Sea World really helps educate people about the animals, kind of like zoos," she said. "Don't they?" her question was aimed toward the adults.

Derek wasn't quite sure what sort of answer to give them, but he tried to go for the most honest. "Well, they are a business with a lot of overhead, which means that they do need to make money," he replied.

"But," Emily jumped in. "I read that they're accredited by the Zoo and Aquarium Association, which means they have to meet or exceed certain standards in animal conservation, education and research," she relayed.

"And I doubt anyone working with animals that closely would honestly want to see them harmed in any way," Morgan added. "I believe they do care about those animals."

"I think they do, too," Michelle agreed. "But sometimes it still makes me a little sad," she maintained.

"It's okay to feel like that, kiddo," Emily assured the girl. "You're a very sensitive and caring person, just like your mom was."

"And like you, too, _mom_," Michelle aimed her toothy grin at the woman whose roll in her life had turned from an aunt into a mother. After quickly downing her last marshmallow and licking her fingers clean, Michelle propped her roasting stick against the log she and her friend were seated on. "Can Ellie and I go up the hill now and watch the fireworks?" she asked, rising to her feet.

"_May_ Ellie and I," Emily corrected the girl, feeling like her own mother at the moment for doing so. "And I don't think they're going to start for another twenty minutes yet."

"Um, we want to get a good seat," Ellie said, standing beside her friend.

"Please, _may_ we go now?" Michelle asked again. "We have a flashlight," she held the small silver devise in her left hand. "And a blanket," the girl motioned toward the plaid item that Ellie was hanging on to with both hands. "And we promise not to go near the water," Michelle concluded, recalling the caveats from last year when they'd been there.

Emily smiled. "Yeah, go," she waved a lazy hand at them. "Get out of here," a huge yawn escaped her mouth as the girls disappeared into the darkness.

"How you doing?" Derek asked, his hand still resting against her abdomen. "You start yet?"

"Uh huh, this afternoon," she groaned. "That would be the reason I've been to the public restroom down the beach so many times today. What a way to ring in the New Year," Emily lamented, one finger thrust into the air with feigned enthusiasm. "Yippee," she exclaimed dryly.

He kissed her temple, his lips lingering there for a long time. "I think there's one Hershey bar left, unless the girls devoured it."

"I've had enough chocolate and junk food for one day," she sighed. Emily cocked her head to look up at him, a smile forming. "But thank you for the offer. And thanks for not ever being squeamish about this stuff."

"It's nothing to be squeamish about," Derek shrugged off her comment. "It's just life. Women do this so they can bring new life into the world, like our mothers did for us. Just like Anna did for Michelle and Ellie's mother for her."

"Speaking of Ellie, how do you think she's doing?" Emily asked, knowing they'd both avoided the subject thus far.

Derek sighed. "Not really sure. I keep thinking I should ask her, but she and Michelle are always stuck together like glue. And I don't really want to bring up her dad and all that again if she's finally getting over it." He shrugged, not sure what to do.

Emily nodded. "I guess she'll talk to us if something is still bothering her," she reasoned, even though they both knew the girl was rather shy. "It's just kind of strange that she never mentions anything about Dan or Beth or the two-year-old they adopted in China. What was his name?"

"Cameron, I think," Derek replied, uncertain. "You know, as much as I wish Ellie would talk to us, I think we should sit down with Dan and Beth on Sunday and discuss some things. Hopefully they won't think we're overstepping any bounds. I mean, they are her legal guardians at the moment."

"Yes, but you share a special connection with Ellie. I think they realize that," she noted. "Kids don't get raised by parents or guardians alone. I do believe there's something to that whole 'it takes a village' theory."

Morgan smiled. "I love when you're in supportive mother hen mode," he kissed her forehead and then shifted.

"Well, it still feels weird sometimes when Michelle calls me mom," Emily admitted. "But it also makes me feel pretty special," she smiled for a moment, but frowned when he sat up. "No, don't move. You're a comfy pillow," she protested, forced to sit up straighter as well.

"This pillow has something else he'd like to talk to you about, and he'd prefer to do it face to face," Morgan said.

Her eyes scrutinized his demeanor for a moment. "You look very serious."

He sat across from her, staring into the dark pools of her eyes. "What do you think about the future?"

"It's something that will inevitably happen," Emily replied.

His lips curved into a smile. "I meant more along the lines of _our_ future," Derek clarified.

"Hmm," Emily pondered that for a few seconds. "Well, I think the novelty of this Sea World tradition will probably wear off within the next year or two as the girls get older."

Derek nodded in agreement, but he took a deep breath and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Okay, but broaden your horizons a little more," he instructed. "Think about further than just a few years into the future. Say, when you're eighty?"

"Eighty?" Emily's eyes widened as she cringed a little. The coolness of the sand beneath them caused her to shiver. "I guess I'll probably just be happy if I'm still alive at that point," she replied with a smile. "And maybe I'll have a few grandchildren to bounce on my knee. Or, I guess by that age I might even have great grandkids."

The thought of her wrinkled, gray-haired and interacting with grandkids painted an interesting picture in his head. "And what about my roll in your future?" he ventured.

She was more than a little curious about his sudden interest in the future, but went along for the ride. "If Michelle has kids, and if they have kids, then I suppose that will make them your great grandkids as well."

"So, you also see me bouncing those grandkids on my knee in your eighty-year-old world?" Derek prompted her.

"Sure," Emily nodded. "That is if you manage to still have any cartilage left in your knees by that time," she joked.

Derek felt his heart trying to pound its way out of his chest as he reached into his back pocket for the small box he'd put there the last time she'd ventured to the restroom down the beach. He presented the dark blue box to her on his palm and carefully pried it open to reveal the solitary white gold and diamond ring resting inside. "How would you feel about wearing this ring when you're eighty?" Morgan asked.

Emily bit down on her bottom lip, surprised by his actions. She'd thought about spending the rest of her life with him, but never really carried much about the whole formality of marriage with its white dresses, flowers and vows. But seeing the ring, and the look in his eyes, changed everything for her. "I think…" she took a quick breath to calm herself. "I think if you don't ask me to marry you until I'm eighty I'll have to _break_ your knees," Emily teased him.

An amused smile crinkled his eyes as he pulled the ring free. The box fell to the sandy beach, forgotten for the time being as he held the ring out to her. It hovered near her left hand as he spoke. "Will you marry me?" Derek finally asked.

"Yes," the reply rolled off her tongue with ease, and Emily cursed her hormones as a tear ran down her cheek while he slipped the ring on her finger.

"YES!" they heard both girls exclaim from some dark point behind them. Then a small beam of light flicked on and the two of them came rushing back to the picnic site. "My mom and dad are getting married," Michelle grinned from ear to ear as she wrapped her arms around Emily's neck since the two adults were still kneeling on the sand.

"I suppose they knew about this?" Emily eyed her fiancé as she kissed Michelle's hands, glad that the girl was happy for them.

Michelle nodded, responding before Derek could. "That's why I asked to go up the hill so early before the fireworks…"

The girl wasn't able to get her last word out before a loud series of pops and bangs echoed across the bay, heralding the start of the fireworks show and ushering in a New Year. Morgan kissed Emily's left hand as the sky exploded into shades of red and blue. She placed her hands against his waist as the fireworks show turned green and then yellow. And finally their lips met, familiar and soft as they explored one another while the sky above became was bathed in sparks of silver and gold.

"Happy _second_ New Year together," he whispered in her ear.

"Best one yet," Emily replied.

* * *

**End**


	80. Home

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Home**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily woke with a start, arms flailing a little. She opened her eyes to see the highway still stretched out in front of her. The low drone of the vehicle filled her ears as she sat up, raked fingers through her hair and glanced across the vehicle to where Derek was relaxed in the driver's seat. He had his right hand on the wheel, left arm propped against the door. "Hi there," he winked, amused by her slightly disheveled appearance. "You have a nice nap?"

She smiled, running her tongue over dried lips. "Yeah, did I sleep long?"

"Nah, only about a half hour. We just went through Oceanside and are now in Camp Pendleton territory," he relayed. His left hand took the wheel while his right reached across to her. He kissed the skin just above the diamond band on her ring finger. "I suggest you be on your best behavior through here. You don't want to piss off any military personnel," Derek playfully warned.

"Maybe I want to be naughty," Emily arched a brow. "Then I could get myself arrested by a hunky Marine who will punish me," she chuckled.

His head shook as he placed both hands on the wheel. "Every time I try to have a little fun, you always manage to one-up me," he lamented.

"Someone's gotta keep you on your toes," she shot back.

"Oh, trust me," he nodded. "You do a good job of that."

The spurt of laughter on her lips died out quickly. "Are the girls asleep?" Emily asked, even while turning to observe the quiet backseat. They'd stayed up for several hours after ringing in the New Year, as she'd suspected.

"Yep, last I checked," Morgan replied.

But Emily barely heard him as her eyes caught sight of Ellie who was seated directly behind her. The girl's eyes were closed, but it was pretty obvious that she wasn't asleep, evidenced by the saline tracks running down both her cheeks. "Hey, Ellie," Emily gently tried to get the girl's attention. She reached out and put a hand to the child's knee, but Ellie recoiled, turning herself toward the window. "Derek…" Emily caught his attention and motioned with her head toward the backseat.

He peered through the rearview mirror and frowned when he saw the girl practically curled into a ball, at least the best she could manage while still secure in her seatbelt. Derek faced the highway again and was thankful for the perfect timing when he spotted a sign indicating there was a rest stop one and half miles up the road. Morgan glanced over at Emily again and waved to the sign, indicating he'd pull over when they got there.

Minutes later he veered off and pulled into the northbound Aliso Creek rest area. Several cars were crowded near the middle section closest to the restrooms, so Derek parked a little further up. The second the car engine was cut, their eleven-year-old guest unfastened her belt and opened her door. She slammed it shut before jetting off across a grassy field. "Ellie, wait!" Morgan called after her as he jumped out of the rental car.

Michelle jolted awake from the combination of the car door slamming and Derek yelling. "What's wrong?" she asked groggily, looking to Emily.

Emily undid her belt and walked over to meet Michelle on the other side of the car. "Ellie seems pretty upset about something," she spoke softly to the girl. "Do you know what it might be about, chaton?" Emily asked as they set off at a brisk pace in the direction Derek was chasing Ellie.

"Um," Michelle shrugged. "I'm not sure," she replied.

The somewhat hesitant answer revealed to Emily that Michelle most likely knew exactly what was going on, but had probably been sworn to secrecy by her friend. They found Ellie kneeling on the grass with Derek squatted beside her. Emily sat down in front of the girl and Michelle situated herself to Ellie's right, draping an arm around her best friend. "It's okay," Michelle whispered. "You should tell them."

Morgan plunked down on his butt next to Emily. "Tell us what, kiddo?" he prodded Ellie. "You know you can talk to me, or Emily. You can tell us anything that's on your mind."

Big hazel eyes finally leveled on Derek as Ellie sniffed. "I wanna go home," her voice croaked.

"Well, that's where we're taking you, sweetheart," Emily responded, placing a hand against the girl's knee. She was glad when Ellie didn't pull away again.

"She doesn't mean home to the Marshal's place in Los Angeles," Michelle spoke up.

Derek let out a breath. "What do you mean kiddo?" he asked Ellie directly.

A heavy sigh escaped the girl's mouth. "I want to go home with you," she bravely looked Derek in the eye again as she said the words. Then her gaze slowly shifted a little to land on Emily. "And you, and Michelle," she added. "It's the only place that feels like home since my dad died."

"Have the Marshal's done or said something to make you feel this way?" Morgan immediately questioned. "To make you feel… unwanted?"

Ellie shook her head. "No."

"Tell them everything," Michelle prompted her friend. "It's okay."

"I hate school," Ellie said, finally letting the words flow. "All the kids… they say mean things about me. They say that I killed people. They say that some people are dead because I helped that man. I thought it would stop after last year, and the summer break. But they still pick on me and call me names," she revealed.

Emily felt sick to her stomach. "Sweetheart, you know none of that is true, right? What they're saying about you is not true," she did her best to help the girl realize that.

"I know," Ellie's voice was barely audible. "I just don't want to be there anymore. Dan and Beth are nice to me, but they have Cameron now and I don't feel like I fit in there. But Michelle is my sister and I want to live with her and you guys. I feel like I belong with you. And I'm really quiet and I always do my homework. I can even make my own lunch and I'll sleep on Michelle's top bunk. You'll hardly even know I'm there and…"

"Whoa," Morgan stopped her. "Kiddo, you don't have to promise to do all those things," he assured her.

"I wouldn't be a burden to you," Ellie added.

"I know you wouldn't," Derek replied, his heart breaking to think she was worried about being a burden to anyone. He reached into his back pocket for the wallet that resided there. Several one dollar bills were pulled free and he handed them off to Michelle. "Why don't you take Ellie over to those vending machines," Derek pointed toward the small beige structure a few yards behind them. "And get us all some snacks," he encouraged, hoping the girl's got the hint that the adults needed some time to talk.

Michelle stood and Ellie brushed away tears as they headed for the vending machines. Emily watched them walk away with a heavy heart. "How can kids be that cruel?" she asked.

Morgan's shoulders raised and lowed, unable to find a decent answer to that question. His eyes stayed on the girls, waiting until they were far enough away that they wouldn't overhear anything. He turned to Emily, the two of them still seated on the fluffy grass. "So, moment of truth time, Em," he eyed her questioningly. "You said before you wouldn't be opposed to having Ellie come live with us. Is that still the case?"

"Well, yes," she nodded. "I did say that. But, I don't know," Emily shrugged. "Isn't this kind of like helping her run away from her problems?"

His head shook. "I don't think so," Derek declared. "The girl is only eleven years old, Emily. She's lost everyone, her mom just hours after she was born, then her dad and her aunt to that… man," he could barely say the word, knowing Flynn had been more of a monster than a man. "And you heard what she said just now, about Michelle being her sister." He took Emily's hand and traced the ridges of her knuckles. "You didn't get to have much time with Anna, but we can help these two sisters grow up together."

"That's pretty dirty of you, using my sister like that," Emily leaned forward to kiss him, letting him know she wasn't really mad. "This isn't going to be easy, you know? Two kids, a dog, a house to maintain, and full-time jobs at the BAU. Not to mention, these two girls will be teenagers before long. I was a teenage girl once, and I was trouble," she let him know.

Derek grinned. "I bet you were," he gave her another quick kiss. "But I've never had any notion about living an easy life, Em. I just want to do what's right here, and this feels right to me. Without you, I never would have considered taking Ellie on, but I believe that together we can give both these girls a good life."

"Okay," Emily finally gave her blessing with a smile. "Then we'll figure out a way to make it all work," she agreed.

The girls retuned a few minutes later and Michelle passed out bottled water and peanuts. "I tried to get healthy snacks," she said while flopping down on the grass beside Ellie. "We kind of ate a lot of junk this weekend."

"Yes, we did," Emily echoed that sentiment. "So, maybe we should all think about starting a healthier eating plan in the New Year?" she suggested. "Michelle can plant that garden of hers and we'll have salads every night." Derek and Ellie scrunched their noses in response to that declaration. Emily chuckled. "We can still have desert," she gave in.

Quiet blanketed the group for a while as they ate their mid-morning snacks. "So, what's the plan?" Michelle finally broke the silence. "Can Ellie stay with us?" she cautiously inquired.

"The plan is…" Derek began, looking to Emily for confirmation. He received it in the form of a small nod from her. "After we finish our snacks, we'll all pile back into the car and drive Ellie to Dan and Beth's place," he stated. Ellie's chin dropped to her chest, but Morgan reached out to lift it with a single finger. "We're going to tell them everything you told us just now. Then we'll drive Emily and Michelle to the airport, because at least half of us need to get back to work and school," he noted. "And tomorrow, or maybe Tuesday, depending on what their holiday schedule is, I'll go talk to your case worker about Emily and me becoming your legal guardians," he concluded.

"Really?" Ellie's voice was a low whisper as Michelle held her hand, both of them excited about the prospect.

"If that's what you really want?" Morgan sought final affirmation from her that it was indeed her wish to live with them, even though he was almost certain of the fact.

Ellie's head bobbed contentedly as she abandoned her snack and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It is," she said. "Thank you."

As Derek hugged her he was reminded of the union between them after he'd delivered the news about her aunt's death. It had been a cathartic embrace for both of them after their horrible ordeal, but he never imagined it leading them to where they were now. He withdrew from her and smiled. "Don't thank me yet, kiddo," Derek said. "You can start repaying us by taking Campbell out for his six am walks," he joked. "And putting the garbage on the curb every Thursday morning and…"

"Stop it," Emily swatted his forearm. "Are you sure you want to be part of this crazy group?" she asked the girl.

"I'm sure," Ellie replied with the happiest smile they'd seen from the girl all weekend.

Morgan got to his feet, hands on hips, grinning down at the three of them. "Then let's head for home, ladies."

* * *

**End**


	81. Welcome

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

This website has not been sending me comment notifications until several days after the fact, so I appologize if my replies to them are sporatic. I'm having trouble remembering which I've responded to and which I haven't! Just please know I appreciate them all.

* * *

**Welcome**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

She exited her car in front of the large tutor home where her parents resided and watched as the house's door flung open. Emily smiled to see Michelle step outside into the chilly evening air. Campbell was on his leash at the girl's side, but the two of them stayed on the porch as she made her way up the walk. The girl hugged her tightly as the three of them entered the house, Emily closing the door behind herself. "This is a nice welcome," she said, kissing the top of Michelle's head.

"Campbell and I missed you," Michelle replied.

The dog, hearing his name, lunged at her. His thick paws pressed against her dark gray slacks as he licked her hands. "You spoiled brat," Emily scratched behind the dog's ear in an affectionate manner. "Get down," she scolded, though not very angrily. As soon as she and Michelle had returned from California the BAU team had been called to investigate a series of murders in Utah. And after three days of case work and missing Derek, she was glad to be reunited with at least half of her family. "I missed you, too," Emily said.

Elizabeth greeted them in the parlor. She kissed her daughter's cheek and took her hand. "Everything went well?" she asked.

"Yeah," Emily shrugged. "As well as most cases go," she didn't plan to say any more on the topic as she noticed Michelle eyeing her. Even though the eight-year-old had been taken by Margaret months ago and knew more about death than most kids her age should, there were still many crimes she didn't need to know about. "Why don't you go grab your things," she instructed. "We need to be at the airport by six to pick up your dad and Ellie."

Those words did the trick, sending the girl off at a full speed sprint toward the grand staircase behind them. Campbell clomped up the stairs along with the girl. "Thank you for watching her," Emily spoke to her mother.

"You don't need to thank me every time," Elizabeth insisted as she brought Emily's hand closer to inspect the ring there. "So, what Michelle told me is true. You're finally getting married?" she asked.

"No, mom," Emily replied with a smile. "I'm just going to wear this ring while we keep living in sin," she joked.

The older woman took her daughter's sarcastic nature in stride. "Well, I advise you marry the poor fellow. After all, he did come to ask your father and I about it."

Emily's eyes widened. "Derek came to you and daddy to ask if he could marry me?" she asked.

"Yes, just before you left for California. You find that surprising?" Elizabeth shrugged without waiting for a response. "He is a very good man. It was unnecessary, of course. But your father and I appreciated the gesture." She let Emily's hand go, signifying the end of that particular conversation. Then she walked over to a nearby table and grabbed a file folder that was resting there. "I know you had to rush off to your case right away upon returning home, so I made a few arrangements for Ellie to start school at St. Ann's when she gets here."

The younger woman leafed through the file. "You already had her records transferred?" Emily was impressed. "You didn't have to do this mother."

Liz made a dismissive noise. "The girl's given name is Elizabeth. That seems rather significant, don't you think? Her tuition is also paid through the end of the year. We'd like to pay for both the girls to attend St. Ann's for the duration, and then whatever high school they want, and college."

"No, mom, it's too much," Emily shook her head. "You can do it for Michelle if you want, but Ellie's not your grandchild. She's not your responsibility."

"You've agreed to be Ellie's guardians, so the way I see it that girl is not going to be here just for a short visit this time," Elizabeth replied. "To hear Michelle talk about her, they are sisters just as much as you and Anna were," she took a quick breath. "Your father loves you so much, Emily, despite blood ties. And people rarely take children into their homes, or their lives, without loving them. Ellie will be your daughter, therefore my granddaughter. And honestly, your father and I have enough money to pay for a dozen grandchildren to attend private school through college," she declared.

A deep breath was taken before Emily spoke again, touched by her mother's sentiments. "Okay, but I will need to discuss it with Derek."

"Of course," Liz nodded. She glanced over her shoulder, hoping Michelle would remain absent for a few more minutes. "There's something else your father and I want to ask. We'd like to take Michelle to Paris for her tenth birthday. If that's okay with you?"

"Paris?" Emily smiled. "Wow, that's… she'll be thrilled."

"Good," Elizabeth was pleased by the response. "Well, we thought since the girls don't have passports yet that we'd all go during their spring break at the end of March. I can push through the passports in that length of time. Do you think you and Derek can take leave from work together again that soon?"

Emily was once more surprised. "You want all of us to go?"

"It's called a family vacation," her mother replied, as if she were talking about the weather. "I know we didn't do that much when you were little, but it's something your father and I would like to start. A tradition, hopefully. We'd like to try being better grandparents than we were parents."

"Mom," Emily wanted to tell her mother that she was a good parent, even though things had always been a bit rough between them. She wasn't sure how to say it, though. But Anna's loss had made her realize that things should be said, no matter how difficult they might be. Her response ended coming out in three words. "I love you," Emily said, a smile forming as she did so. She noticed the former ambassador stiffen a little, so she moved on. "I'll find a way to take that vacation time," she concluded.

"Ready!" Michelle shouted from mid-way down the stairs. She practically jumped down the last few, Campbell still at her heels. The girl easily wrapped her arms around Elizabeth's waist. "Thanks for having me, grandma. Tell grandpa good-bye for me."

Liz smiled. "I will, dear," she promised.

xxx

Emily felt like she had actual butterflies dancing in her stomach when she spotted Derek and Ellie walking past the security gates toward them. She told herself it was completely ridiculous to still feel such a thing over a guy she'd known for so many years, and even lived with for nearly one of those years. But as she initiated a welcome home hug and his arms snaked around her waist, Emily gave in to the silly teenager feelings and kissed him longingly right there in the airport.

"Did you miss me?" Derek asked as they pulled apart just a few inches. The girls were already chatting excitedly beside them.

She shrugged, taking his hand as the four of them headed toward baggage claim. "Don't be silly," she scoffed. "We weren't separated from each other that long, plus I was working the whole time," Emily noted, pretending not to care.

He stopped, tugging on her hand as she continued forward. Derek yanked her back to his side. "Are you trying to play hard to get?" he asked in an amused tone.

"If I was," she held up her left hand, wagging her ring finger in his face. "I would have made you sweat a little more over this answer," Emily teased him as their lips met again. "By the way, you really didn't need to ask my parent's permission to marry me. This isn't the dark ages."

Morgan kept a tight hold on her, his hands clasped behind her lower back, his torso pressed against her chest as travelers weaved around them. "I didn't ask their permission, I asked for their blessing. There's a difference. It was a respect thing. I like your parents and I respect them," he explained.

"You're a good guy, Derek Morgan," Emily whispered before kissing him again.

Michelle gaped at them for a moment, sharing an embarrassed look with her friend. "Um, we're in an airport," she finally said.

"Yeah, and people are watching," Ellie added.

Derek and Emily chuckled as they reluctantly broke apart, aside from their hands still being clasped. They all continued toward baggage claim.

xxx

Campbell was the first to bolt inside through the back door of their home. The girls followed after him and set off to feed Michelle's fish in the living room before taking a few of Ellie's smaller bags upstairs. Derek carried in the rest of Ellie's stuff, six medium-sized bags all together. Not a whole lot to show for eleven years of life. He knew she had the essentials, plus a few items she'd kept from her father and aunt's places. Namely photo albums and a couple small trinkets. He and Emily each grabbed a few and headed for the stairs.

"I need to talk to you about something," Emily said as they walked. "My parents want to pay for the girls' schooling," she revealed. "All the way through college if we say it's okay."

"Really?" Derek questioned. "They made that offer?"

She nodded. "Yes, but I told them I'd talk it over with you first before agreeing. I don't want to step on any masculine pride toes, or anything like that."

He chuckled as they arrived at the top landing. They stopped there while he thought about what she'd said. "I think it's great. If they really want to help out like that, then who am I to say no? I never had grandparents to do that for me, or parents who could afford it either," Morgan relayed. "I certainly don't want the girls to think this is a free ride or anything. I expect them both to do well, get good grades. But having the monetary means to back up whatever field of study they want would take some pressure off," he reasoned.

Emily smiled in agreement as they headed down the hall. "I feel so adult making these decisions," she replied. But the words didn't please her as much as she thought they would.

"What's wrong?" Derek asked, noticing the worried look that had suddenly leapt upon her face.

A sigh escaped as she stopped in front of the door to Michelle's room. "I don't know; I just had this realization slam into me full force. I'm going to be responsible for guiding two young girls into adulthood. I know I said before it wouldn't be easy, but right now it feels kinda scary. Scarier than when we talked about it in California, because it's real now. This is it; we're Michelle and Ellie's parents."

"You'll do great," he leaned in to kiss her cheek. "And I'll be here to back you up every step," Morgan vowed.

His words helped ease her fears a little and they pushed the bedroom door open to find the girls huddled on the lower bunk with Campbell curled up into a furry lump on the floor in front of them. They sat Ellie's bags down near the door. Emily pulled Michelle's desk chair out and sat down while Derek leaned against the door frame. "Ellie, you've been enrolled at St. Ann's where Michelle attends," Emily let the girl know.

"Yes!" Michelle exclaimed as she shared a high-five with the girl she considered to be her sister.

"Since tomorrow is Thursday, you can wait to start on Monday next week if you like," Derek added, though he wasn't sure what they'd do with the girl while he and Emily went to work.

"I'll start tomorrow," Ellie offered. "I want to."

Morgan and Emily exchanged shrugs of agreement. "Okay," Emily gave a verbal approval. "Well, this upcoming weekend I thought we could all go buy you a nice bed and a comforter of your own, anything you want to fix up your new room next door."

"I want to share this room with Michelle," Ellie replied.

"But you can have your own," Derek assured her. "It's just an office right now, but it's all yours if you want."

Ellie shook her head. "Nope, we want to share this room. Michelle agreed."

"Alright," Emily had no problem with that. "But we can still get you a few things to make the top bunk your own. And we'll need to get another desk in here for you. Because there will be studying and homework done in here," she wagged a not-so-menacing finger at them. "Not just giggle parties," she warned.

"I don't want you to go to any trouble," Ellie said. "The comforter on here is fine. I really don't need anything."

"It's no trouble, kiddo," Morgan insisted. "This is your home now, for as long as you want. And there will be chore assignments and, like Emily already mentioned, school work is a top priority. Other than that…" he walked over to the bunk beds and plopped himself down between the two girls, looking like a giant on the small bed. "Welcome to the family," Derek aimed the words at Ellie. "You're really stuck with us now," he concluded, reaching out to muss her hair.

She smiled. "I'm glad."

xxx

After another hour hanging out in the girls' room and making sure they were both settled in, Derek slipped into his cozy bed and snuggled up beside Emily. His hands caressed her bare arms and wandered to her waist. "Congratulations," Morgan said to her. "It's another girl," he chuckled.

Emily laughed as she turned to face him. "That's good, because girls are the superior sex," she declared.

His eyes narrowed, not from anger, but rather from lust. "See, now…" his voice was a raspy whisper as his lips nipped her right earlobe. "All I actually heard in that sentence was the word sex," Derek informed her.

"Selective hearing," Emily nodded as she languished in his soft touch and kisses. "A sure sign of the inferior sex, also known as the male race," she continued to taunt him.

Derek tickled her ribs and delighted in the way she tried to squirm away from him. But he held her close, stealing several more kisses. "But this member of the male race is useful for some things, isn't he?" Morgan ventured playfully. "And doesn't he deserve a proper welcome home gift?"

She pushed him onto his back and straddled his legs, her hair falling across his chest as she leaned in to kiss him. "He does, indeed," Emily whispered in a voice filled with promise.

* * *

**End**


	82. Bike

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Bike**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Soft lamp light illuminated Emily's side of the bed, where she sat atop the down comforter, legs stretched out in front of her and a book open on her lap. She noticed Derek as he came to stand in the doorway. His eyes scanned the digital clock on her bedside table. "It's nine-thirty on a Saturday night and you're already curled up with a book?" Morgan shook his head at her as he plopped down beside her on the bed.

"It's not like I have my pajamas on yet," she defended. "And I'm on top of the covers."

Derek chuckled. "Then maybe there's hope for this evening yet. Whatcha reading?" he asked, tilting his head a little to see the cover of the book clasped in her hands. "Parenting Teens with Love and Logic," Morgan read before proceeding to the smaller print. "Preparing Adolescents for Responsible Adulthood," he concluded.

Emily shrugged, looking a little embarrassed. "I thought it might be helpful since we kind of just jumped into this whole thing with the girls."

He gently removed the book from her grasp and set it aside. "I think it's great that you want to do right by Ellie and Michelle," he commended her efforts. "But I have much better plans for our Saturday evening," Derek whispered as his lips connected with her collar bone and worked upward toward her neck.

"Has Ellie said much to you about school?" Emily asked.

Morgan sagged against her. It was clear her mind was focused elsewhere at the moment. Ellie had been with them for two weeks already, time which seemed to have flown by. She had appeared to be happy enough the whole time, but still rather quiet. And Derek knew the girl certainly opened up more to him than to Emily, although more to Michelle than any of the three of them. "Not too much," he replied. "She mentioned needing some school supplies, though. I thought we could go pick up whatever she needs tomorrow."

"Sounds good," Emily agreed, grateful for the lull in their case work.

"Good," he echoed, though rather more seductively as he returned to his previous endeavors; his lips melting against hers.

There was a low-key knock on their door, which was still very open. "Can I come in?" Michelle's tentative voice greeted them.

A somewhat annoyed sigh escaped Derek's throat but he sat back against the headboard and smiled. "Sure thing, sweetness," he agreed.

Michelle moved into the room and stood at the foot of their bed. "I want to tell you what I'd like for my birthday," she said.

"Okay, shoot," Emily encouraged.

"Well," the girl pressed her lips together for a moment, seeming uncertain about the request. "I'd like a new bike," she finally said very quickly.

Morgan's brow wrinkled as he glanced over at Emily. "But I got you a great bike last year. I thought you really liked it? And I know you haven't outgrown it yet. Maybe we could clean it up a little before the weather turns nice again, but I think it will last at least another few years."

"I know, and I don't like my bike, dad. I love it," Michelle assured him. "But, you see… I kind of… well… I really want the new bike for Ellie," she finally managed to get the words out. "I want her to be able to go riding with us when it gets nicer this spring," she explained. "So, can I have a new bike for my birthday?"

"No," the answer Morgan gave sounded very final, and rather stern.

"Derek," Emily spoke in an admonishing voice, surprised by the almost angry tone he'd used and the perturbed look on his face.

He didn't allow Emily or Michelle to say anything more as he shooed the girl toward the door. "I want you to go get Ellie. Tell her I need to speak with her. And I want you to return with her," Derek instructed.

Michelle jetted out the door and Emily starred at her fiancé for a long time before she could think of something to say. "What was that all about?" she asked, not really upset; more confused than anything. "I think you scared her half to death."

"Did I?" Derek suddenly felt his stomach tighten, realizing his tone had been a bit harsh earlier. "Well that wasn't…" he trailed off, spotting the two girls as they stood in the open doorway, each of them looking rather frightened. "Hey, you're not in trouble," Derek called to them. "Come here," he beckoned them forward. But they stayed put, still appearing uncertain. "I promise you're not in trouble," he repeated in a kinder tone.

Ellie edged forward a few steps, Michelle clinging to her. It was a reversal of their usual moods of Ellie being the shier to the two. "I'm sorry I asked for a new bike," Michelle spoke softly as they continued to slowly walk toward Emily's side of the bed.

Derek patted the bed. "Come here, sit down," he implored.

But before either girl could make a move they heard Campbell clomping down the hall. The dog leapt through the open door and sprang onto the bed. Emily chuckled at the lovable Labrador. "I believe slapping your hand against a bed is internationally recognized dog-speak for snuggle up," she laughed even harder as Campbell burrowed himself in the tangle of their down comforter.

The girls smiled a little at the dog's antics, and eventually they both took seats on the end of the bed. Morgan leaned forward. He looked Michelle in the eye. "I am really sorry if I made you think I was angry. I'm not, sweetness," he assured her. "But I'm not going to buy _you_ a present for _Ellie_." He turned to the older girl with questioning eyes.

"I didn't want her to ask. I didn't tell her to ask," Ellie protested. "She just did it."

He nodded. "Yes, I'm sure she did," Derek replied. "That's because she loves you. And it's real sweet the way you two already look out for one another and care about each other like sisters. But…" his eyes fell upon Ellie exclusively for the moment. "I'm going to tell you this again; because I get the feeling you don't really understand yet. You are not a burden to Emily and me in any way. And if there's something you need like school supplies, or something you want such as a bike, you can just ask us. We might say yes, or no. But you can ask. Do you get that?"

"I think so," Ellie nodded.

"And you," he turned his attention back to Michelle. "Asking for a birthday present so that you could give it to Ellie… that is probably the nicest gesture I could think of. But I don't want you to feel like you have to do things like that. You ask for your own presents, okay. And Ellie can ask for hers when her birthday comes around. Understand, rubber band?"

Michelle giggled as she nodded. "I do."

"So…" Derek leaned back against the head of the bed, one hand reaching out for Emily. He felt her slender fingers twine with his and give a supportive squeeze. "Is there someone in this room who would like to ask for a new bike?" He looked to Michelle and she shook her head. His gaze then turned to Campbell who was still snug on the covers. "How about you, boy, would you like a new bike?" The dog lifted his head, turned to Emily and made a soft questioning whine before he rested his muzzle on her lap.

"I think that's a no," Emily responded on the lab's behalf. "And I don't need a new bike," she let him know.

"Hmm," Morgan put a hand to his chin. "Then maybe there isn't anyone in this room who wants a bike. I must have been mistaken."

"Derek?" Ellie said softly, gently biting on her bottom lip. Her hazel eyes flicked from Morgan to Emily and back again. "I'd like to have a bike so I can go to the park and ride with you and Michelle and Emily," she finally let him know.

A ridiculous amount of pride swelled in Derek's chest at that moment, feeling like he was finally starting to reach the girl, finally helping her to open up. "I would love to buy you a bike, kiddo," he replied. "In fact, I think we should go tomorrow and see what we can find. Combine it with our school supply run. What do you think about that?"

Ellie smiled. "Okay."

"But," he added, holding one finger aloft. "There's a condition, just one," Derek sat forward as he kept both eyes on the girls. "Both of you have to…" a long pause followed until he suddenly reached out and clasped an arm around each of them. "You have to endure a giant bear hug from me!" Morgan exclaimed as he tackled them against the bed.

Emily watched the fun, delighting in their contagious laughter. Even Campbell had joined in, growling playfully and pouncing on Derek and the girls. Emily still felt the book might come in handy, but she also knew with Derek on her side the girls were going to turn into responsible and caring adults. And, as Emily felt Morgan's arms snake around her waist and begin a torturous tickle attack, she also knew they'd grow up to become free-spirited.

* * *

**End**


	83. Up

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Up**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

There was a bit of a breeze blowing as the group of six stood huddled at the base of the Eiffel Tower, also affectionately known by locals as La dame de fer; the iron lady. It was early on day two of spring break in Paris, the first of which had been spent dealing with jet lag, meaning mostly lounging at the hotel. But the girls had been raring to go on their second morning in the bustling city, and number one on their list of sights to see in the French city had, of course, been the beloved monument.

Emily stared at both girls with inquiring brown eyes. They each wore comfy pants, lightweight jackets and backpacks slung across their shoulders with digital cameras in hand; very much the picture of a tourist. "You really want to walk all the way up to the second level?" she asked. "That's about 700 steps. Let's compare that to the fact that there are only fourteen steps to the second floor of our house. Do you understand what that means? That would be…"

"50 times more steps than at home," Ellie announced.

"Did you just do that in your head?" Derek asked the girl.

Ellie nodded. "My dad always said my mom was really good at math."

"We can climb that many steps," Michelle insisted as Ellie nodded in agreement.

"I bet you can, and we'll go with you," Derek volunteered as he reached out to take Emily's hand. "It'll be fun," he encouraged.

"Climbing 700 steps is your idea of fun?" there was a distinct scoff to Emily's tone "I haven't done that climb since I was fourteen," she informed him. "And I'm not in as good of shape as I was then," Emily noted.

Derek shrugged off her concern. "You're in great shape," he drew Emily in closer by her hand, whispering in her ear. "And more importantly, you have a great shape," his hands rested against her hips as he kissed her.

"They're doing it again," Michelle groaned with an eye roll.

"What's that?" Elizabeth asked her granddaughter.

"Kissing, where everyone can see," the young girl pointed out.

Morgan and Emily broke apart. "Everyone kisses in Paris," Emily defended their actions.

"In fact," Derek added. "If you don't kiss while you're in Paris you stick out like a sore thumb," he said, reaching out to grab Michelle by the waist. Morgan planted a big smack of a kiss against the top of her head. Then he went after Ellie, performing the same act. Both girls laughed and tried to get away from him, even though they clearly enjoyed his adoration.

Emily was pleased to watch their interactions. It swayed her decision. "Okay, I suppose we should do the walk. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity for most people," she reasoned, not sure the girls would ever get back there. Although, with her parents in charge of gift giving the girls were bound to get the opportunity to go on many more trips in their lives. "I'll go with you three," she finally agreed. Emily turned to her parents with questioning eyes.

"Your mother and I will be taking the lift," Joseph promptly informed his daughter. "But the four of you feel free to climb if you like. We'll be waiting up there for you," he chuckled softly in a, good luck to you, sort of way. Then he guided his wife toward the elevator because they'd already purchased their tickets.

Morgan followed the girls toward the, thankfully, short line to pay a small fee for their climbing access. Arriving early and on a week day had probably been in their favor, as the crowds were not too big yet. They made it through in fairly short order then headed toward the stairs, but Derek noticed Emily still looked a little out of sorts as she trailed along beside the three of them. "What's wrong?" he asked.

She shrugged. "The Eiffel Tower is supposed to be a romantic place, but by the time we climb all the way up there I'm going to be sweaty and gross."

Lips turned upward in a smile, Derek took her hand again. "I will still gladly kiss you up there even if you're all sweaty and gross," he assured her as they walked to where the girls were waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Don't you remember our first kiss in the park after we'd been running? You were kind of upset about that being our first kiss because you were sweaty, but it still ranks as one of my top ten kisses."

"Oh, do tell… you have a top ten kisses list?" Emily laughed as they began to climb.

He grinned, nodding. "You make up seven of the ten," Derek let her know.

"Really?" her brows arched. "So, there are three other women on that list? Or at least one other woman?"

"Hey!" Morgan called to the girls. "Don't get too far ahead," he warned them, seeing they were nearly a flight in front of them already. "And pace yourselves," he instructed. Satisfied that they'd slowed a little, Derek turned his attention back to the woman at his side. "Well, there's Melinda Baker from high school. That was my first real kiss, real meaning I figured out what you're meant to do while French kissing. So, obviously that one has to be on the list."

"And I thank her for showing you the ropes," Emily teased.

He smiled, but it faded quickly. "Then there's the kiss I gave to my mom the morning of my dad's funeral," Derek explained in a softer tone. "And the other one was…" a sigh was let go as he squeezed Emily's hand. "When I kissed Anna's cheek the night she died," he revealed.

Her eyes misted, nose tingling as she tried to bite down on her emotions. "You're too good to be true," Emily whispered.

Silence swam around them for a brief moment as they continued upward. "Seven in the top ten is still a very respectable showing," Derek finally said, attempting to lighten the mood again. "Just don't ever tell Garcia she's not in the top ten. And, I'm afraid you might have a few of your kisses bumped out in the future," he warned. "Probably by those two," Morgan pointed to Michelle and Ellie who were still a short distance ahead of them. "Either when they graduate or get married. Or make me a grandpa."

"That's understandable," Emily acknowledged.

Upon reaching the first floor they could see a little more of the sprawling city, mainly the large grassy and treed expanse of the Champ de Mars. It was a somewhat overcast morning, but a small sliver of sunshine was peeking out from the clouds a few miles away. And the wind seemed to be blowing that cloud break toward them. As he leaned against the guardrail, Derek pulled his fiancé closer and kissed her. "Not a bad one," he said as their lips parted moments later. "But not top ten quality," he grinned cheekily.

"Great," she groaned. "Now I have to worry every time I kiss you about it being in the top ten?" Emily playfully pushed him away.

"A little incentive, huh?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes at him and went to join the girls. After a feast of the first level views they made their way steadily to the second floor. The four of them reunited with Emily's parents and strolled around the area for a while before making the final assent to the third level. Only an elevator could be taken to the very top; a fact for which four pairs of legs were very grateful. Several minutes were spent looking at memorabilia before they emerged onto the third level viewing deck.

At that moment the cloud break was hovering directly above them, seeming much larger than it had from miles away. The sun shown merrily as Michelle starred down at the Seine and watched people move around like ants on the tiny streets and sidewalks. "What do you think of this view, peanut?" Joseph asked; placing a hand against his granddaughter's back. "Do you see the Arc de Triomphe there?" he pointed.

"It's amazing," the ten-year-old replied, completely in awe.

The man's gaze then lit on Ellie, who was quietly standing to his other side. "What do you think, peach?" he questioned.

Ellie's cheeks reddened a little as she turned to look up at the man's face. "How come you called me a peach?"

Joe shrugged. "Just a little nick name I came up with for you. The last time you and Michelle stayed with us I remember you ate peach yogurt every morning."

"I like peaches," Ellie nodded.

"Then I guess you're my peach, right?" he concluded.

Emily watched the girl nod again. She'd never been prouder to call Joseph Prentiss her father than at that very moment. Not that she should have been surprised by his acceptance of the child into their lives. He'd loved her since the day she was born, even knowing she might not be his biological child. Anna had been right when she'd said that people were defined by those they loved and those that loved them, because Ellie was definitely loved by her new family.

Michelle edged toward her aunt. She took Emily's hand and held it tight. "I wish mommy was here to see it," she whispered.

"So do I, chaton," Emily replied, arm around her niece's shoulders. "But your mom is alive inside you, in all of us. Because we loved her, we carry her around with us. So, in some way she is getting to experience this as well."

The girl was touched by that idea and went to share it with her grandparents and Ellie. Emily sensed Derek's presence behind her. Then she felt his arms slip around her waist. She nestled her head against his shoulder. "And you were afraid about guiding these girls into adulthood?" he questioned. "You're a great mom to them, Emily," he assured her. His hands turned her at the waist so she was facing him, and their lips met in a soft, sweet kiss that quickly turned into a lively dance of emotional and physical power.

Her breath hitched as they parted just a little. "How about that one?" Emily asked.

Derek grinned as they stood atop Paris, hands clasped, hearts linked and sun shining down on them. "Top three, for sure," he declared.

xxx

After their Eiffel Tower adventure, several more days of sightseeing had been enjoyed by young and old in their group. Nearly one whole day devoted to the Louvre, another spent mostly at a park and eating at a favorite café discovered by the Prentiss clan many years ago. Emily wore a smile of remembrance as she made her way toward where her mother was seated at the hotel's restaurant. It was modestly sized and bustling with tourist. She plunked down in a chair opposite her mother and gave the simplest of greetings. "Morning."

"Good morning," Elizabeth replied, setting her cup and saucer down on the marble topped table. "Where is the rest of your troop?" she asked, looking over her daughter's shoulder.

"They're swimming," Emily replied as she flagged a waiter down and ordered coffee and an almond croissant in perfectly fluid French.

Elizabeth's eyes rose. "The hotel pool is outdoors and it's rather chilly this morning," she noted.

Both of Emily's hands were held up in a don't-look-at-me manner. "It's a hotel, there's a pool… to some people that's reason enough to dive in. And Derek is a bit of a polar bear, not to mention an instigator of the highest degree," she chuckled.

"He's a very good father," the former ambassador observed, sipping her coffee. She looked to her daughter again. "And you have become a wonderful mother."

"Does that surprise you?" Emily found herself challenging her mother's words, which to anyone else would've been taken as nothing more than a compliment. But she couldn't help retreat to a time when she'd been expected to be perfect at everything, right from the start. That had been something her mother drilled into her.

The older woman shook her head. "I'm sorry if it sounded that way, but no. I honestly always thought you'd be a good mother. But then it started to seem like that wasn't a direction you had any desire to take."

Emily relaxed a little as her breakfast arrived. She picked at her croissant and blew on her coffee before taking a small drink. "I guess I had kind of resigned myself to the fact that it wasn't going to happen," she admitted. "Then Anna plopped Michelle in my lap, and now we have Ellie," Emily remarked thoughtfully. "I'm glad it happened later in life for me. I feel like I've got my head on straight for the first time ever, plus I have Derek. I'm finally ready to focus on a family."

"I sometimes wish I'd been more mature before having my children," Liz spoke softly. She caught Emily's eye. "But I never regret having you and your sister."

A nod came from Emily, having heard her mother say those words before. "So, where is daddy this morning?" she asked, hoping to move on from the previous topic.

"Your father is off arranging a car rental," Elizabeth responded. She drained the last drop of her coffee and sat the cup back on its blue and white saucer. "Bit of a last minute plan, but he and I want to take the girls today. We have a little road trip planned to visit Versailles. And I thought we'd spend the day there, have dinner and then return tonight. Probably not too late. If that's alright?"

"Derek and I aren't invited?" Emily asked.

"Well, of course you are, if you'd like," Elizabeth said, not wishing to ruffle any more feathers. "But, I just thought you two might like to spend your last full day in the city without the girls. After all, it is one of the most romantic places on earth," she intoned, the smallest hint of a smile perched on her lips.

Emily grinned at that, both a little surprised by her mother's insinuations and also extremely grateful for the chance to spend time alone with Derek. No work, no kids, no dog, not even their usual household chores to worry about and get in the way of them relaxing for a little while. It was a very welcome gesture, for which she leaned across the small table and repaid her mother with a hug. "Thank you, I really appreciate the thought."

xxx

Even though it had dawned as a cloudy and rather blustery spring day, Derek and Emily opted to sit on the open top-deck of a boat as it glided along slowly through the slightly choppy water. They'd decided to start their kid-free day off with a sightseeing tour along the Seine. So far it had been cold, but enjoyable. And the weather gave them good excuse to sit even closer than normal, arms wrapped around one another as they snuggled on the back of the boat.

"Look," Emily pointed to a massive structure coming into view along the shore. "Notre Dame," her voice was low and respectful. "Still one of my favorite cathedrals," she noted.

Seconds later the accented voice of their female tour guide came on over the speaker. "_Coming into view on our left is Notre Dame Cathedral, the first period of construction lasting from 1162 through about 1240_…"

Derek chuckled. "Maybe you should be giving this tour," he told Emily as he felt her shivering beside him. "You know what, I think we should forgo any more sightseeing," Morgan finally suggested. "Because it's freezing out here and we have a nice hotel room all to ourselves for the rest of the day." He carefully scanned the boat tour map. "And it says here we can get off at the next stop. What do you think?"

"But you haven't even seen…"

He cut her off before she could continue; not wanting to be rude, but hoping to get her thinking along the same lines as his self. "I've seen plenty of the Paris highlights, and a few non-touristy things thanks to you and your parents. But honestly, I've had my fill of being a tourist." Other than words, he used a persuasive kiss.

Emily felt a chilly wind lift off the water and happily agreed that they should disembark at the next stop. Several hours after the premature end of their tour, Derek was turned on his side in their large hotel bed. Not a stitch of clothing adorned either one of them as they languished in the soft cotton sheets. His fingertips gently traced the pale skin along her back. And he placed feather light kisses against her skin at odd intervals. "What are you doing?" Emily asked groggily, satiated from their afternoon alone.

"Sightseeing," he chuckled. "A different sort of sightseeing than earlier today," Derek added. "I'm following this map of freckles down your back…"

"Oh, really?" she asked, right cheek pressed against her pillow as she faced him. "And where does that path lead?"

"Well, I heard there was a mountain range nearby," his hands slid down over her posterior and he grinned unabashedly. "This terrain feels very smooth, though, and only slightly rounded. Perhaps it's just a foothill," he playfully intoned. "But I'm sure I saw a grassy meadow somewhere around here," his hands began a new exploration. "And a beautiful valley," he seductively whispered.

She grabbed his right hand, drawing it up her body. "The mountain range you were searching for earlier is actually further north," Emily informed him. "And the valley needs a break for a few minutes."

Derek obliged her wishes, settling on draping one arm across her belly as he nuzzled her neck. "We should pretend this is our honeymoon. We've done everything else backwards so far. We had one kid, moved into together, had another kid, and then got engaged. So, why not have a honeymoon before our wedding," he reasoned.

"Technically, we had Ellie after we got engaged," Emily smiled as she closed her eyes.

"Hmm," he shook his head against her shoulder. "I think we both pretty much knew this past summer that Ellie was going to be living with us at some point. So, I'd say we had her before the engagement."

Emily laughed at the absurdity of their conversation. "And where do dogs fit into the whole, love, marriage, baby carriage scenario?"

"I'd have to say, wherever they want," he noted, knowing Campbell usually butted in wherever he pleased.

She nodded. "You're probably right. Do you think he's okay?"

"Who?"

"Campbell."

"Seriously?" Morgan eyed her with an incredulous grin. "You're actually worried about Campbell while we're lying naked in a Paris hotel room?" Derek asked. "Besides, I thought he was _my_ dog to worry about?" He received an elbow in his side for the comment, but Morgan returned it with a kiss against her temple. "Reid is staying with him at our place, so it's not like he can get homesick."

"We should get up," Emily said, even though she would have been happy to stay in bed with him for the rest of her life. "My parents and the girls will back within the hour. I'd rather they didn't walk in on us like this."

He wore a manufactured frown. "Honeymoon's already over?" Derek pouted.

A smile adorned her lips. "We'll have a real one someday, if I can rope my parents into staying with the girls."

"Or," he began, his fingers lazily tracing the curve of her hip. "My mom could stay after we get married and watch the girls. She told me she'd like to spend more time with them."

"That's sweet," Emily replied. "I'd like that. I want the girls to have a big family around them as they grown up; a family that won't ever leave them or break apart. Maybe we should have the girls be a part of our wedding ceremony," she suggested.

"As in all of us getting married?" Derek questioned.

"More like… becoming an official family," she clarified.

"I like that," he agreed, kissing her again, which led to them not getting up just yet.

* * *

**End**


	84. Down

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Down**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The room felt a little too warm to Emily as she sat in a rather uncomfortable chair, legs crossed and her left foot bouncing up and down nervously. She recalled reading that hot flashes were a sure sign. A reflective sigh escaped Emily's lips as the doctor entered the office and sat down at the desk across from her. The woman was in her early sixties and Emily figured she was probably considering retirement soon, although, from the awards and documents plastered across the office walls it seemed the doctor enjoyed her line of work a great deal.

"So, Dr. Rosen…" Emily breathed out dramatically. "I turned forty-one last October. I guess this is inevitable, right?"

"What's inevitable?" the older woman asked, one hand resting against the file on her desk.

"This…" Emily waved a hand about the air in front of her. "Change of life business… Menopause," she finally let the word slip past her lips. "I read that it can start this early."

Dr. Rosen smiled softly, blue eyes widened slightly in amusement. "Yes," she nodded. "It can happen this early. But I've ruled that out in your case."

"Really?" the response was filled with curiosity as Emily uncrossed her legs and leaned forward a little. "But all the stuff I mentioned to you earlier about…"

"Emily," the doctor rested both elbows on her mahogany desk. "The blood tests I did revealed that you're pregnant."

"No I'm not," were the first words to shoot out of Emily's mouth. She sat back again, starring at the doctor for a long time before any further words emitted. "This isn't funny," Emily said, still looking to her doctor for some sign of a camera crew and a man with a microphone that was about to jump out and tell her she was on Candid Camera, or an MTV personality to say she'd just been punk'd. But no such thing occurred, much to her disappointment.

"You've been tired, irritable, missed period…" the doctor rattled off. "It all fits. And blood tests rarely lie, but we can perform another if you'd like."

"I…" Emily shook her head, dark brown hair swaying gently across her shoulders. She was still floored by the sudden news; the one diagnosis that hadn't crossed her mind. "This isn't even possible," she finally breathed again.

The doctor's brows arched as she pushed a bunch of gray hair behind each ear. "I figured the new ring on your left hand was a pretty good indication that you and Derek were still together," she noted. "So, if you're having sex then getting pregnant is very possible. Of course, if you haven't been then, yes, there may be some mistake."

Emily rolled her eyes. That was just what she needed, a doctor trying her hand at comedy. "I didn't mean immaculate conception impossible," she replied. "Derek and I are still together and very happy, but I use birth control religiously. We're always careful."

"Always?" Dr. Rosen questioned doubtfully, knowing nobody was ever one hundred percent careful.

"Yes," Emily nodded in a defensive manner. But the second the answer escaped her mouth she remembered something. "Shit," she swore, sliding further down into her chair. "Paris," the word was a soft whisper on her flabbergasted lips.

"Excuse me?" the doctor asked, not having heard her exact words.

She sat up straight again then leaned over, forehead pressed against her clammy hands. "Paris," Emily groaned in a louder tone. "Spring break in Paris," she thought she sounded a bit like a teenager who'd snuck off for spring break with her boyfriend and had gotten herself knocked up on accident. Emily groaned internally this time. Been there, done that – at least something vaguely similar, her thoughts screamed.

"My parents took us all to Paris for spring break and I forgot to pack my diaphragm. And I didn't even think we'd get a chance to… you know. Because we had my parents and kids in tow almost all the time. But then my, oh so, thoughtful mother decided to give us a day alone and Derek was all too happy to…" groan number three was another audible one as she slapped both hands against her thighs. "But we used a condom," Emily added. "Um… well, at least that first time." Her head heaved forward again to rest in her hands. "Crap."

"I take it you're not terribly happy with this news," Dr. Rosen replied after the lengthy explanation by her patient.

The word that came foremost to Emily's mind was a resounding, DUH. But another form of sarcasm emitted instead. "You are a master of obvious statements, doc." Emily shook her head, still trying to wrap her mind around life's odd sense of humor. "This is just not… not… not something we planned," which was a gross understatement.

"Well, you don't need to make any decisions right now," the woman responded. "In fact it would probably be best if you give yourself some time to think it over. Talk to Derek."

Emily's head lolled to one side. "I pretty much already know he'll want this…" she couldn't even get the word baby out of her mouth. It still seemed far too crazy a concept to her, even though she loved Derek and the girls more than anything. "Isn't it… uh, don't some women have problems when they have… when they get pregnant later in life. Aren't my eggs deformed or something?" fear began to trickle down her spine.

The doctor smiled reassuringly, but she stated the facts. "There are definitely more risks given your advanced maternal age," she intoned. "But the fact that you were even able to get pregnant at your age without the help of fertility drugs or other aids, it speaks well of your body's health and strength. I really don't see any reason why you couldn't have a perfectly healthy baby." The woman got to her feet and placed a caring hand against Emily's forearm as she guided her patient to the door. "Please, just give it a good deal of thought before you make any decision," she implored again. "In the mean time try to eat healthy, keep up with your vitamins and avoid stress as much as possible."

"Sure," Emily nodded numbly as she walked out of the office, all the while thinking that stress avoidance was kind of out of the question given the news she'd just received.

xxx

Derek let go a frustrated sigh as he stared at the screen of his cell phone. Emily's phone went straight to voicemail again and he hated to admit that it worried him. Since Michelle, and then Ellie, had come into their lives the four of them were always sure to keep close tabs on their cell phones; the modern family communication link. He placed his hands against the cool dark marble of their kitchen countertop and stared down at the yellow lab seated beside him. Campbell was quiet aside from his panting.

"Where do you think she is, buddy?" Morgan asked the canine. "It's almost dinner time and she left Quantico before I did," he noted, as if the dog might actually respond with some supportive or helpful words. Instead, Campbell gave a small whine as he stared up at Morgan with pleading eyes. "Okay," Derek said, pulling out a bottom drawer and grasping two dog treats. "Just don't tell Emily I gave you these, or she'll say I spoil you," he held the treats out and the lab promptly gobbled them.

The back door swung open a second later and Emily walked inside, kicking the door shut with her left foot. "I smell dog biscuits," were the first words out of her mouth as she entered the kitchen and sat two white paper bags down on the counter beside her fiancée.

His mouth opened in protest, but Derek side-stepped the dog issues as he voiced his concern. "Do you realize I've been trying to reach you for over an hour? You left work without saying anything and your cell phone kept going to voicemail."

"Sorry, I had it turned off," she pushed aside his worry. "I had an appointment."

"You usually tell me those sorts of things," he replied.

"Guess I forgot," again her tone was dismissive. "I picked up dinner," Emily quickly changed the subject.

Morgan peeked inside one of the bags and frowned. "Burgers and fries?" he questioned. His eyes rose to meet hers. "You hate when the girls have fast food on week nights."

"Well…" she huffed with annoyance. "I didn't feel like cooking."

"We could've just tossed some frozen thing in the oven or even the microwave," Derek countered. "And made a salad."

Emily spun around to face him, eyes blazing. "I didn't feel like doing that either!" she snapped.

He was quiet for a moment, noticing the way even Campbell had taken a few steps away from her. Derek couldn't remember the last time she'd lost her temper like she just had, if ever. She always stayed pretty calm under pressure. And he didn't even realize she was under any pressure at the moment. "Emily, is something wrong?"

"No," her head shook with a quick response. "I… I'm just tired." She glanced at the bags of greasy food and her stomach churned. "I don't feel like eating," Emily said as she moved out of the kitchen and across the hall. "I'll send the girls down to eat," she added before rushing up the stairs.

Morgan did his best to shrug off her odd behavior for the time being. He gathered plates and sat them out on the table, wanting to make things look like their usual family dinners even if they were eating fast food. Whenever he and Emily weren't working a case out of town they did their best to have a sit down meal with the girls. Ellie and Michelle joined him, both making curious inquires about Emily's absence and the surprising meal choice, which Michelle wasn't that thrilled about. He made up a lame excuse about Emily not feeling well, which actually seemed somewhat true. And when they all finished, Derek left the girls to clean up while he headed upstairs to check on his fiancée.

She was curled up atop their bed, wearing sweats and a t-shirt. Her hair was covering most of the left side of her face as the right side was smashed against her pillow. Campbell was snuggled up beside her, both of them snoring softly. Morgan glanced at the clock and read the digital numbers; 7:15, which was much earlier than he'd ever seen her pass out. He pulled a green afghan over her then leaned in to softly kiss her forehead before he ducked out of the room to see if the girls wanted to watch some TV with him until bedtime.

xxx

"Maybe it's just…" Garcia tilted her head to one side, a small shrug raising her shoulders as she regarded one of her dearest friends. "You know… that time of the month."

Derek sighed, shaking his head as he leaned against Garcia's desk in the dimly lit tech lair. "No. I think I've gotten pretty good at detecting when that's the case. And this past week has been more like PMS, but about ten times worse," he lamented.

"I'm sure you're exaggerating," Penelope replied. "Emily's a cucumber, you know? Cool as they make 'em."

"Usually," he agreed. "I'm just so confused. We've had minor spats before, but nothing like this. I suppose not wanting to cook one night isn't earth shattering, but…" he groaned, unable to say what he was really feeling, because he wasn't very well acquainted with the emotions rattling around in his head at the moment. "We've always been able to sit down and talk things out, but right now I know something is really bothering her and she just won't tell me what. She won't talk to me, barely even looks at me…"

Garcia placed a tender hand against his forearm as she sat forward in her rolling chair. "Well, it's been a pretty rough year, right?" Penelope said. "For all of you," she added. "I mean, it was almost a year ago that Anna died and then…"

"Shit," Morgan stopped her train of thought. "Of course," he brightened a little, even though the topic was not a happy one. "It's nearly been one year since Anna died. How did I completely miss that?" he asked, not expecting any sort of answer. "It certainly explains her mood. She felt so bad after Anna died, thinking there should have been something more she could have done to save her sister."

"But she's dealt with that," Garcia stated, knowing it to be true.

He nodded. "For the most part," Derek said. "But my dad died almost thirty years ago and it still dredges up horrible memories for me every year on the anniversary of his death."

Penelope's hand gave a little squeeze as it remained against his arm. "We never get over those losses," she said, speaking from experience. "So, what are you going to do? Because I can see those wheels already starting to turn," she noted.

"Just remind her how much Anna loved her, and how happy she was to have had any time to know Emily," he paused. "And let her know that Anna's memory lives on in Michelle. I think that's about all I can do, right?"

"And flowers," Garcia added. "Flowers are always nice," she smiled.

Morgan bent a little to kiss the tech's cheek. "Thanks for the ear to bend, baby girl."

xxx

Hours after his conversation with Garcia, and asking her for a huge favor, Derek entered his cozy house with a bunch of yellow tulips in hand. Campbell greeted him at the door and trotted along beside him, sniffing his shoes. "I don't have any treats for you right now, bud," Morgan reached down to scratch behind the dog's left ear. "Maybe later, but first I need to surprise Emily," he spoke to the lab as if he were a human friend who might actually reply. "Do you know where she is?"

Campbell immediately took off, racing up the hardwood stairs. Derek followed after the canine and found Emily curled up in their bed again, much the same as the last several nights. She'd been leaving work a lot earlier than him and he always found her in bed, either sleeping or ignoring him with her nose in a book, kind of like the one she had propped in her lap at the moment. But tonight he planned to get her talking, no matter what it took. But first he presented the flowers to her as he settled down next to her on the bed.

"I picked up the girls from school and just dropped them off at Garcia and Kevin's place," Derek announced, still holding the flowers as he watched her stare blankly at them. "Thankfully I still had their go bags in the back of my SUV from the last visit with your parents. So, the four of them are all set to have a Friday night campout in their living room, complete with S'mores made in the microwave," he chuckled. "I thought the two of us could go out for dinner," Morgan suggested. "Or stay in, order in, eat in bed if you like."

Emily's eyes returned to the book in her hands. "I'm not hungry."

Derek reached over and took the book from her. He closed it and sat it on the nightstand. Then he replaced it with the flowers, arranging them on her lap. "I don't think I've seen you eat anything in over a week. You're either rushing out the door in the morning to take the girls to school, or you're curled up in here by the time I get home from work."

She sighed. "I've been eating," Emily crossed both arms over her chest, not even acknowledging the flowers he'd brought her. "Why are you harping on food?" she challenged.

His jaw tightened, greater concern for her state of mind seeping into his thoughts. "I'm not harping, but you've been displaying some pretty clear signs of depression lately," Morgan pointed out. "Not eating very much, staying segregated in this room, barely speaking to anyone. I know that you must be upset by the anniversary of Anna's death, but maybe we should do something about that. Maybe plan another trip to Kansas, go see Anna and Eric, and visit Lila's flower garden. I'm sure she'd be happy to let us visit."

"You think I'm upset about Anna's death?" Emily asked.

"Well, yes," he nodded, suddenly a little uncertain. "Aren't you?"

Her gaze finally fell to the flowers and Emily felt sick to her stomach for the way she'd been treating him the past week. But for some reason she just couldn't bring up the topic that was really plaguing her mind. Emily knew it was irrational, but that didn't stop her from lashing out at the one person she loved more than anything. "You're right. That's what has been bothering me," she lied. "And I don't want to solve it right now by eating, or talking. I just want you to leave me alone, okay? I'm tired, and I suggest you find somewhere else to sleep tonight," she concluded just before picking up the tulips and lobbing them across the room where they hit the door.

"Emily, what the…" Derek got to his feet, disappointed eyes darting back and forth between her and the crumpled flowers he'd gotten especially for her. "You need to talk to me."

"No," she maintained, leaning over to reach for her book.

"This is ridiculous," he breathed out. "I've never seen this side of you before and…"

She didn't let him finish, gripping her paperback tightly with both hands. "Well, maybe you should have gotten to know me better before deciding to bring Ellie into our lives or asking me to marry you. Maybe all of this was a mistake. There's no such thing as happily ever after, Derek," she spat.

"Okay, no… there's not," he tried using a soothing voice, even though he was more confused than earlier. And rather upset by her latest comments. "But…"

"Just leave!" Emily shouted, chucking her book across the room so it landed in the same heap at the flowers.

Derek felt his heart leap into his throat as her voice reverberated around the room. He thought the dog would be just as upset by her outburst, but instead he spotted Campbell jump onto the bed and lie down next to her. As Morgan slowly edged his way to the door he felt like everyone was against him for some unknown reason. But he loved her enough to give her more space if that was what she needed. He bravely reminded her of that, even if she wished to rip his head off again. "If you want to talk, I'm here for you, Em."

Then he slipped out the room.

xxx

He slowly opened his eyes, but the light that greeted him wasn't much brighter than the view behind his eyelids. Derek stretched both arms over his head and tried to massage the kink out of his stiff left shoulder, which had grown sore from a week of sleeping on the living room sofa. Things had gone from bad to worse between him and Emily since their argument on Friday night. Actually, things had gone from shouting to complete silence between them for the past five days. He stood and rolled up his blanket then promptly stashed it and the pillow in the laundry room down the hall. It was still only 5:30am, but he didn't want the girls to know he'd been sleeping downstairs.

Derek went to put coffee on. Then he donned running shoes and hooked Campbell to his green leash. They were out the front door by quarter to six for their morning jog around the neighborhood, which also included a few pit stops for the canine member of their duo. They were back by 6:30 and Derek poured a big mug of hot coffee, grabbed the morning paper and sat at the table to peruse the sports section for a few minutes as the dark liquid helped rouse his body into a half-way decent semblance of life.

At 7am he took to the stairs, knocking softly on the girls' bedroom door. "Rise and shine," he intoned, knowing his chipper morning voice annoyed them a great deal. Derek heard the appropriate groans from inside their room, which let him know they were awake. He then moved down the hall to his and Emily's room. He stood outside the door for a while, just listening. Then he tried the handle and found it to be locked. He sighed dejectedly.

Back downstairs, Derek rummaged through the fridge as he heard the girls mulling about upstairs, getting ready for a Thursday at school. Finally he settled on trying his hand at scrambled eggs. They turned out a fair sight better than his attempt at French toast the morning before, and the girls each ate a healthy serving along with toast and orange juice.

Emily made her way into the kitchen at 7:30, sniffed at the eggs and made a bee-line to the fridge for some apple juice instead. "Can we talk?" Derek cautiously asked as she sipped.

"I have to take the girls to school," she replied.

Morgan was momentarily buoyed by the fact that she'd responded with words. He watched as the girls rinsed their plates, stuffed them into the dishwasher and then pulled out peanut butter and jelly to make sandwiches for their lunches. "They'll be a few minutes yet," he noted, waving a hand toward the back door. "We can talk outside," Derek suggested. He was further encouraged when Emily followed him into the back yard.

Campbell squeezed out the door with them and raced around the grassy area that Derek had fenced in at the end of last summer. Emily felt the warm Spring sun beat down on her face. It felt good, invigorating even, though her stomach was still doing a war dance, which had not been helped by the juice. There were bunches of daffodils scattered about the yard, some pale yellow, almost white. Others were a darker shade of yellow with vibrant orange centers. And there were a few purple and white crocus flowers that had popped up as well, and a group of red tulips under the large oak tree. All had been lovingly planted by Michelle.

His eyes followed hers around the yard as they both enjoyed the cheerful setting, so full of life. "Can we please cease and desist with the silent treatment?" Derek finally asked.

She shrugged. "We have nothing to talk about."

"Nothing?" he echoed, his earlier optimism draining quickly. "So, if I understand you correctly," Derek continued. "The two of us essentially living like strangers in the same house for nearly two weeks is your idea of a situation that doesn't need to be talked about?"

"What do you want me to say?"

Derek sighed in frustration. "Whatever the hell is on your mind," he snapped, trying to keep his voice as low as possible so the girls wouldn't overhear. He took a calming breath, noticing she'd gone quiet again. "Maybe you need to take some time off work, or maybe I should take the girls somewhere to get out of your hair for a while? Or you could go away if you'd like, take some time to sort out… whatever it is that needs sorting," he suggested.

Emily headed for the door. "Right now, all I need to do is get the girls to school on time," she replied, swiftly darting inside.

He followed her in and stood like a stone statue by the door while Emily rounded up the girls, all three of them grabbing lightweight jackets and their bags. "Aren't you going to eat something?" Derek asked Emily as they passed him, headed toward her car which was parked out back. He regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth.

The look on her face stopped any further comment from him. He didn't even try to kiss her the way he had the last five days. She'd become quite adept at dodging his advances, citing that they were running late or using the girls as an excuse, because they were embarrassed by their displays of affection. But that had never bothered her before; before everything in their mostly happy lives had turned to crap, for some reason that he still couldn't determine. Derek listened as Campbell wined at the door for Emily, but at least he couldn't take her side this time, Derek thought. Although it wasn't a huge ego stroke, considering the dog wasn't allowed to go to work with her.

Morgan took to the stairs again and entered his room. Everything was neat and tidy just like always. No sign of Emily's distraught nature, at least not evidenced in the form of broken things, mountains of crumpled tissues or slovenly behavior. He stripped down, tossed his t-shirt and sweats into the laundry hamper and stalked his way to the bathroom. Derek was just about to get into the shower when he heard a phone ringing over the rush of hot water. He left the water running and discovered Emily's cell phone residing on her nightstand.

The number that scrolled across the screen wasn't familiar to him, but he thought it might be work related or someone at the girls' school trying to get in touch with them, so he answered. "Emily's phone," Derek spoke.

"Hello… is Ms. Prentiss available?" the soft female voice on the other end asked.

"Nope, seems she forgot her phone this morning," Morgan replied in a tone that was far friendlier than he felt at the moment. "Can I help? Maybe take a message."

"Well, sir…" a small pause came. "This is Nancy from Planned Parenthood and it's in regard to her appointment tomorrow. She should give me a call."

His heart beat a little faster, curiosity pounding through his head. "Can I ask what this appointment is in regard to?"

"I'm sorry, sir. Patient information is confidential," the woman replied. "Please, just have her call us."

"I will," he absently responded before the line went dead.

xxx

Bureau agents and staff bustled around the bullpen as Emily sat at her desk, staring at the computer screen and trying desperately to remember what case report she was meant to be working on. But thoughts of Derek keep nagging at her, even to the point where his voice was echoing in her head. "You forgot this at the house," he said. Emily nearly jumped out of her seat, turning around and realizing his voice wasn't in her head after all, but right next to her.

She spotted the cell phone in his outstretched hand. "Oh," was all Emily said as she took it and slipped it into the pocket of her navy blazer. "Thanks," she added softly.

"Emily, we need to talk," Derek said. Usually they were the dreaded words a woman said to a man, but he'd been repeating them a lot lately.

Her head shook. "I have the Davidson case report to finish," Emily informed him, finally recalling the correct case file. "Hotch said he needs it by lunch. He has a meeting with…"

Derek's hand clamped down on her left shoulder, heavy, though not hurtful. He leaned down so his words were sure to hit only her ears. "I took a call for you this morning from some woman at a Planned Parenthood clinic," he let her know. "We need to talk," Morgan repeated, letting go of her shoulder as he regained his full height. "Now. My office."

The finality of his words snaked down her spine as she watched him turn and walk away. Emily gulped, discarded the job at hand and followed him to his office. Derek closed the door for some semblance of privacy. They both knew there were cameras, but at least no voice recordings of what went on in the offices. "Derek, I…" she had no idea what to say, pretty much the same feeling she'd been experiencing for the last few weeks.

"Are you pregnant?" he asked. "The woman from the clinic wouldn't tell me anything, but…" Derek's concern switched quickly. "If you're sick, why wouldn't you go see Dr. Rosen?"

"I did go see her, almost two weeks ago," Emily felt the weight of the boulder on her shoulders begin to shift a little; still heavy, but movable at least. The fact alone that he knew her doctor's name spoke volumes about the kind of concerned and caring man he was, which caused her guilt quotient to rise exponentially. "And yes, she told me I'm pregnant."

Most of the worry and confusion he'd been experiencing the last several days faded away. His eyes widened with pure joy. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier? Did you think I'd be upset?" he didn't let her answer, though. "Because I'm not… I mean, obviously this is a surprise, but a wonderful one," Morgan stated with a happy grin as he moved toward her.

"I figured you'd be happy and want this baby," she replied in a monotone.

Those words startled him, his smile faltering. "Then what… why all the subterfuge and the snappiness and… I don't get it."

"I'm going to take care of it," she responded simply.

"What do you mean?" his brows furrowed. "Emily, what does that mean?"

She took a deep breath and held it for a long time before replying. "I'm not prepared to have a baby."

"Take care of it?" he repeated her words, realization sinking in with a sickening punch to the stomach. "That's what the clinic is about, right?" His head shook as she stood there, silently staring at him. Again he felt like he was dealing with a complete stranger, or some other entity that had taken over the body of the woman he loved and wanted to spend the rest of his life with. "No, Emily… that's not what I want."

"But it's not your body," her voice was a wavering whisper.

Morgan's teeth gnashed. "It's my baby, _our_ baby… don't I have some say in what happens here?"

Her jaw tightened, steeling herself against the pain she saw in his eyes. "I'm sure you have some romantic notion about how it can all work out for the better. Sure we weren't expecting this, but why not…" she mocked. "Why not have three kids and work full-time jobs and never see each other except when we're about to be gunned down by an UnSub," Emily's chest heaved as she pushed all the words out. Even having the truth out in the open wasn't helping her deal with everything.

"Emily… we make things work now with the girls," he countered.

"The girls," she almost laughed. "I love the girls, you know that. And what I said about you bringing Ellie into our lives the other night, I regret that. I'm so glad they're in our lives, but they're eleven and ten, they've been potty trained for a long time, long before they ever came to live with us. They take their own showers, do their homework every night, and they even make their own lunches in the morning. Really, aside from driving them to and from school and a little light cooking on our part, they pretty much take care of themselves," she stated. "But a baby… we're talking twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They need constant attention, Derek. Do you understand that?"

He nodded. "I do, we could work it out," Morgan maintained.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head. "I love you, Derek, I really do…"

"No," he tried to swallow the giant lump lodged in his throat but it wouldn't go down. "If you loved me you would have told me about this from the start and you wouldn't be trying to cut me out of my own child's life. What you're doing…" Derek sighed. "I don't recognize any of this as the actions of the woman I fell in love with. In fact, I haven't seen her in several weeks," he lamented. "And I miss her very much."

She tried to keep her tears from falling, with very little success. "Then I guess it's a good thing this happened," her voice squeaked. "Because now you know the real me."

"I don't think so. This isn't you, Em," he shook his head.

"I think I know me," she replied.

Derek wanted to reach out to her, wrap her up in his arms, kiss her, and tell her that everything was going to be all right. But he could tell that wasn't going to work unless she stopped guarding herself from whatever it was she feared. "I think you're scared. I think you're worried and trying to run away from something a lot bigger than an unplanned pregnancy. And I just wish you'd talk to me about it," he voiced.

Emily used her finger tips to brush away the few tears she'd let escape. Then she glanced down at her watch. "We have a team meeting in three minutes," her tone was raw and raspy as she stared at the floor, unable to look him in the eye. "And I'm going to stay at my parent's place tonight. So, can you pick up the girls after work? Make sure they get dinner?"

"You know I will," he sighed. She was out the door before he could attempt to say any more.

xxx

Trying to get any work done after her confrontation with Derek had been a futile attempt. Emily had sat through their morning meeting like a zombie, barely hearing a word of JJ's case overviews. And afterward, when Hotch had called her into his office and discreetly suggested she take the rest of the day off, Emily had easily complied. She'd spent a good chunk of time at the park seated on a wooden bench, alone with her thoughts. She'd eaten an ice cream cone topped with rocky road and then puked most of it up later in the park's less than clean restroom facilities. Finally she'd steered her car to her parent's place, grateful that they were out of town for a few days to attend a conference for her father's company.

She wandered through the big house and headed upstairs, straight for the room where Anna had stayed a few times. It was the same room that Michelle always liked to sleep in when she visited her grandparents. Emily flopped down on the large bed and let her tears flow. "I miss you, Anna," she whispered to the room. "Derek was right; part of this _is_ about you. I can't believe you've been gone for a year now. It feels like it was just yesterday that you and Michelle and I were laying in here watching _Sense and Sensibility_. And mom, too."

A depthless silence permeated the room for a few minutes. "I wish you were here right now," Emily spoke again. "I could really use my big sister to talk to."

"Would you settle for your mother?" Elizabeth asked.

Head turned to the open door, Emily spotted the woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask the same of you," the elder countered with raised brows.

"You gave me a key," Emily replied.

Liz smiled at that. "So we did," she agreed. "Your father went to Texas for the conference, but I decided to stay home. There's a rather large charity luncheon I'm helping to organize for next weekend. And it's not going quite as planned. But then, I suppose life never really does. Does it?" she asked her daughter with a knowing tone.

Emily sighed as she sat up. "You talked to Derek."

Her mother nodded. "I did; a short while ago. He's very worried about you. And after what he told me about this baby and that you want to…" Elizabeth frowned, clearly not happy about her daughter's decision. "Like I said earlier, maybe you'd settle for talking to your mother about what's going on," she left the door open for that conversation to take place.

"I've done it before," Emily revealed, having no idea how her mother would take the news. Her whole body shivered as she sat cross-legged atop the bed. "I was fifteen at the time, when we were in Rome," the words came pouring out of her mouth. "My friends John and Matthew, they… they were afraid to acknowledge the feelings they had for each other. And I don't just mean friendship feelings," she paused only briefly to watch her mother's eyes reflect understanding, as well as surprise. "They were both afraid of what their parents would think and John thought that he could change himself by being with a girl, by having sex," Emily revealed. "And I foolishly thought maybe he was right, so I agreed to… help him."

"You got pregnant," Elizabeth guessed.

A slight nod came from Emily. "John freaked out, and rightfully so. I never really blamed him for taking off the way he did. It hurt, but… but at least I had Matthew. He was so sweet and he helped me find a place. He went with me. And then it was done." She didn't bother going into further detail about the aftermath, about how Matthew questioned the church even more, and his drug abuse, and especially not about her own dabbles with drugs at the time.

Liz finally sat down beside Emily and smoothed a hand over her daughter's dark hair. "I'm so sorry I wasn't the kind of mother you could confide in about all of that," she said. "I can't change the past, but I'm here for you now, baby. Whatever you need," Elizabeth promised.

"I don't know what I need," Emily shook her head. She stared at her mother for a long moment. "Did you ever think about it after you found out you were pregnant with me?"

The older woman didn't need to know what 'it' was in reference to. "Emily, I'm not going to…"

"Please," Emily stopped her. "I want to know the truth. Please," she asked again.

"It was far less common to procure in those days, but… briefly, yes," Liz admitted. The words stung the back of her throat as she gulped down guilt. "But then your father returned and he was so happy when I told him the news. And it sounds very much like Derek is just as happy, and…"

"Don't," Emily closed her eyes. "I really don't want to talk about this anymore," she whispered, laying down and resting her head in her mother's lap. "I'm tired, mommy. I just want to sleep," she said, hoping the woman wouldn't leave her alone just yet. Her eyes remained closed and she could feel the warmth of her mother's hands against her back and atop her head. "If I do this tomorrow," Emily whispered. "Will you go with me?"

Elizabeth couldn't remember the last time Emily had curled up with her or called her mommy. She hadn't felt worthy of that title for decades. And it broke her heart to see her little girl so lost. She hadn't been able to help Anna, to find her after the kidnapping, or to cure the cancer that had taken her. But she could do her level best for Emily, which seemed to be a supportive role at the moment, even if it differed from her personal opinion. "Yes," she finally answered her daughter.

xxx

Morgan watched the woman as she carefully read the letter in her hand, which he'd given her just a few minutes ago. She finally sat the paper down on her desk and looked up at him with curiosity. "This is really what you want?" she questioned, finding it hard to believe.

He glanced down at his watch and grimaced. "It is," Derek affirmed. "And I really need to go now."

The woman took a deep breath, scrutinizing him for several more moments. "I'll hold on to this for twenty-four hours," she revealed. "You have time to reconsider."

"Thank you, ma'am," Morgan returned. "But I won't." He said nothing more, leaving her seated there with a rare look of concern etched across her brow. Derek barely gave it a moment's thought as he rushed out of her office, down the long corridor and to the bank of elevators at the end of the hall. He stabbed the down button numerous times, but after several seconds without a car arriving he abandoned the technology route and dashed toward the stairs.

Several more glances to his watch told him he was running out of time. Derek flew down the stairs, six flights worth before he finally emerged into the parking garage. He hopped into his SUV and headed off in a flash. The drive took forever as traffic crawled along the highway, coming to a complete stop at times. He contemplated pulling out the portable siren he kept stuck in the glove compartment for work related business. But Derek knew that wouldn't get him to his destination any faster. Because the place he was really trying to get to existed only in Emily's head, and he hadn't been able to find her there in a long time.

Thankfully he found a parking space along the curb just outside his destination building. Derek jumped out of the vehicle and raced around to the building, but his heart sunk as he got ten feet from the clinic's door and watched Emily and her mother walking out. He wanted to scream and pull her into his arms all at the same time. Instead he settled for closing the gap between them by nine more feet. He looked to Liz who silently walked away and stood beside her car which was parked just a few yards down the street. The concrete sidewalk held them upright as he watched Emily's chest heave, clearly struggling for words. He tried to find some of his own, but they weren't cooperating.

Emily was worried she might not be able to speak without completely losing it, but she made the effort. "I guess Ellie should stay with you at the house. Michelle and I will probably go live with my parents until we find another place. And then we'll have to…"

"No, Emily," Derek finally spoke. The last twelve inches between them disappeared as he stood with his chest to hers. His hands rested against her hips. "That's not what I want," he told her. "I…" he gulped for air, staring down at her shimmery brown eyes. "I hate what you did," Derek let her know. "I don't understand it, but I still love you. And I don't want this family divided. So, we need to figure out a way to makes things work."

Tears pooled as she listened. "You could forgive me?"

"Yes, because I love you," Derek relayed in the simplest of terms.

His words reminded her of something her father had once said to her about forgiving her mother. "I didn't do it."

He looked at her with more confusion than before. "What?"

"The baby," Emily spoke softly. "I didn't… I'm still pregnant." An unsure chuckle slid past her lips. "I have no idea what we're going to do with two teenagers and a toddler, but…"

"Then I guess its good I handed in my resignation this morning," Derek revealed.

Her eyes widened significantly. "You did what?"

"I told Strauss I'm leaving the BAU, resigning from the bureau all together," Morgan went into more detail. "I know I can't actually carry this baby for you, but I want to be the one to take care of it when he or she is born. That way you can still work," he let her know, thinking that had been a big part of her baby worries. "I'd like to get back into home renovation, I think that's something needed at the moment since new construction has declined. And I could make my own hours so that when the baby gets here I'll be able to play Mr. Mom."

"You'd do that?" Emily was slightly surprised and yet, not.

"I want to," Morgan nodded. "I've actually been thinking about this for a while now, even before the baby. We each work the same cases and fly on the same jet. We could both be shot or go down on the plane. I like to think those things won't happen, but Ellie and Michelle have each already lost two parents and I can't imagine them having to lose another one, or two." He took a quick breath and let her to his SUV. Derek leaned against it, holding on to her left hand and fiddling with her ring. After the distance between them the last few weeks he was overjoyed be so close to her. But there was still unfinished business between them. "So, are you finally going to tell me what all this has been about?"

"I don't know," she shrugged.

That answer wasn't about to fly with him, not when so much had just been on the line. "Yes, you do," Derek insisted. "Please, Em, you can tell me."

"I guess," she gently bit her bottom lip. "I'm scared about doing this… about being pregnant, eating right, Lamaze, labor, epidural or no epidural, late night feedings, the fact that I'll be sixty when this kid graduates from high school. The fact that my body's age could have lasting effects on this baby. Serious issues like Down's Syndrome, which is the main one I can think of at the moment. Then there's genetics and…" Emily heaved a sigh. "That man…"

Derek listened and digested everything she'd said. He shared some of those fears as well, but the last one stumped him for a second until he gave it a little though. "Richard Hayes," the name wasn't a question at all. "Emily, he…" Morgan searched for the right thing to say, but he quickly realized there was rarely a right thing to say. So he searched for the most honest thing to say. "That man did some horrible things but he doesn't have to influence this baby's life. He didn't raise you. And you told Margaret that it wasn't his blood running through you veins, nor your mother's, but yours. Do you remember that?"

"Yes, but…"

"But nothing," Derek didn't let her continue. "I think about my dad almost every time I'm out in the field. I think about how he died in the line of duty and I've always been afraid of the same thing happening to me, but it hasn't yet."

"And I guess it won't now that you've resigned," she observed.

"Probably not," he agreed. "But I still fear that I'll die like he did, at least the part about leaving my mom and sisters and I behind. Leaving you and the girls, and now this baby, some days I can't bear that thought. But I face that fear every day and I move forward," he explained. "And, I hate to admit it, but Richard Hayes did contribute to one good thing; one imperfect but amazing thing."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You're going to say he contributed to me being alive, right? How sappy can you get, Derek?"

"I don't care," his head shook. "Think about this for me... think about what life would be like for all of us if you'd never been born," Derek posed. "Where would Michelle be right now if not for you? What if Anna had come to the BAU looking for help and you hadn't been there to take her in? Would we ever have found your parents without you? Anna would have died and Michelle would be where? In foster care?"

She breathed out. "If I'd never been born Anna never would have been kidnapped, because Hayes was after me that night," Emily countered. "That means that Anna never would have gotten sick and Michelle would be happy with her mother."

"Okay…" Morgan grinned, loving the challenge she always brought to his life, at least most of the time. "How about this, if Anna had never been kidnapped she never would have met Eric and there would be no Michelle. No lively young ten-year-old who wants to become a marine biologist to help keep whales and dolphins from becoming extinct. How about that? And where would Ellie be right now? I never would have been brave enough to take her on without your help. So, she probably would have floundered through life never feeling like she really fit in. She never would have had a real family again."

"Maybe, maybe not," Emily shrugged.

He sighed, realizing he should have known it wouldn't be that easy. "What about this baby of ours?" Morgan reached out to place his broad palm against her abdomen. "What if this baby is meant to grow up and find a cure for cancer?"

Her head shook, but a small smile formed. "How cliché," she whispered.

"Maybe, maybe not," he returned the words to her. "What if our child is meant to grow up to become a teacher or a foster parent, to help shape and mold the lives of other children struggling to find their way in the world? Or maybe he's meant to become a professional ball player and put a smile on the face of a kid in the stands; show him what perseverance and dreams can accomplish. Or what if she's meant to become a genius profiler who puts bad guys behind bars?" Morgan voiced. "Whatever this baby becomes, he or she will have one thing going for it; one thing to rely on no matter what. It will be loved."

With misty eyes, Emily leaned her head against his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his torso. "You are so sappy," she whispered to him.

"I don't care," he repeated his earlier response. Morgan kissed the side of her head. "If you weren't alive I'd be a very lonely man right now."

Emily smiled. "You'd probably be saner, though, without all my crazy baggage weighing you down," she joked, glad to be able to do so after her self-imposed worry fest. But worry soon clouded her thoughts again. "Last night I asked my mother if she ever considered having an abortion when she found out she was pregnant with me. I wanted to know the truth," Emily glanced over to see her mother's car was gone. She'd obviously witnessed, and possibly overheard, enough to know that it was safe to leave the two of them alone. Emily was grateful of her mother's love and support as she looked Derek in the eye. "What if our child asks that question? What do I say?"

"The truth," Derek immediately replied. "You tell him or her that they were a huge, but welcome surprise," he concluded.

"Guess that means we're really going down this road?" she asked.

A nod accompanied his response, "It certainly seems that way."

"We must _both_ be crazy," Emily breathed out, her nervousness becoming somewhat tinged with anticipation.

"Very much," Morgan agreed, grinning happily as he finally kissed her properly.

* * *

**End**


	85. Baby

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

_**Thank you to all who made it through that last long part. This one got a bit longer than planned as well. But, please enjoy!**_

* * *

**Baby**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

A lively mid-Spring storm was raging outside. Rain falling in dreary, copious amounts, wind thrashing tree branches and whistling through a few cracks in the old house Derek, Emily and all their friends had helped fix up. Emily pressed her tired head against Derek's chest as they lay in bed with the TV on, letting their minds hang down after the very emotional day. She realized how much she'd missed him the last few weeks of her pregnancy-hormone and fear-induced depression, which had caused her to push him away. Doubts about everything baby related still swam through her head, but she was dealing with them the best she could.

"So…" Derek muted the TV, which was half way through an old re-run of _Frasier_. "Paris, huh?" he asked, his fingertips brushing across her abdomen where the sleep shirt she was wearing had ridden up a little. He found it hard to believe that less than twelve hours ago she'd nearly taken away the life they'd created. It was still hard to wrap his head around her reasoning, but he tried to focus instead on the fact that she hadn't gone through with it.

Campbell was curled up at the end of the bed, which had become his unofficial sleeping spot. Although the dog believed it was official. Emily glanced at the big yellow Lab whose head was resting against her feet. "Oh, please…" she groaned in response to Derek's words, rolling her eyes at him as she listened to the cocky tone of his voice. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" Morgan asked in a defensive manner.

"Your peacock feathers are all proudly displayed," Emily informed him. "You're in full caveman mode," she noted. "Me a man, me make baby…" she mocked.

"That is not what I'm doing," he protested, but laughed at her impression of a caveman voice. "I'm just happy is all," Derek let her know.

She couldn't help smile at that. "Happy is good," Emily agreed. "But aren't you just the tiniest bit scared about all this? Because I gotta tell you, I'm pretty freaked. I guess you already figured that out, though, considering what I had planned today," the words turned softer at the end, nearly a whisper. She had a lot of regrets in life, but she never regretted the decision she'd made at age fifteen. It had been the right thing then. But she did regret nearly making the same decision for the child she was carrying now.

"I'm a little scared," Derek admitted. "But I think that's healthy. I know we can do this."

Emily hadn't wanted to hear those words a few days ago, but now she took comfort in them. "I still can't believe you quit your job," she remarked, watching as the large window to their right was illuminated by a flash of lightening. She silently counted off ten seconds in her head, which gave a rough estimate of the lightening origin being two miles away.

"Well, Strauss actually gave me twenty-four hours to change my mind," Derek revealed. "Which gives me until ten o'clock tomorrow to decide for certain," he said. "I told her I wouldn't be changing my mind, unless…" Derek turned to her. "Do you want to quit and stay home with this baby?"

The most honest answer floated past her lips. "Would it sound really selfish if I said I wanted to keep working after this baby is born?"

"Not at all," he replied. "That's what I figured."

"You're really okay with me working and you staying home to take care of the kids?" Emily knew she was harping on things they'd already discussed, but she wanted him to be certain.

He nodded. "I really am," Derek assured her again.

Another bright flash lit their room from the outside. This time Emily only made it to five seconds before a huge clap of thunder rolled across the sky, seeming to be right on top of them, but still at least a mile away by her layperson's calculations. She placed her hand against his, which still rested upon a bare patch of her stomach. "This baby is going to bond with you more; love you more. You'll be the favorite parent," Emily lamented.

"I doubt it." Derek's head shook gently. "I was actually thinking that this baby is going to be stuck with me all the time, and therefore will get sick and tired of me. That will mean you get to be the relief parent, the favorite one, the one little Morgan Jr. here will be happy to see when you come home from work at night or home from a long case out of town. You'll be the super hero parent, and I'll just be the taken for granted parent," he concluded.

A small chuckle trickled from her mouth. "I seriously doubt this baby is going to take you for granted, Derek. You're already a great daddy for wanting to do this."

Lightening flooded their room once more and the thunder that followed shortly after seemed to shake the whole house. A second strike came straight away causing the TV and the lamp on Emily's nightstand to blink off, plunging the room into darkness. Derek extracted himself from his comfy position beside Emily and fished through the drawer of his nightstand for a small flashlight he kept there. He flicked it on and a bright beam of light shot across the room. "I should go check on the…"

He didn't even get the last word out when the objects of his intent came rushing into their room. Michelle dashed straight for the bed while Ellie stayed by the door for a minute. Derek plopped back onto the bed, sitting beside Campbell who seemed curious but mostly unruffled by the noisy storm. "I don't like thunder storms," Michelle complained as she crawled under the comforter and curled up beside Emily.

"How about you?" Derek kept his concerned eyes glued to Ellie. "You okay?"

The older girl shrugged, fiddling with the hem of her cotton pajama shirt. "I don't mind thunder and lightning so much," she told him. "But, I…" she hated to admit that she still slept with a nightlight, even though Michelle, Derek and Emily all knew. "I just don't like the dark," Ellie finally said.

It wasn't hard to figure out the root of that fear, Derek thought as he held his left hand out to her. "Come here, kiddo," he beckoned her over and was glad when she settled down on the bed with him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, but didn't say anything more on the subject because he suspected she didn't want to talk about it.

"Are the two of you still fighting?" Michelle looked to each parent as her question hung in the air. Another loud clap of thunder caused the girl to snuggle up closer to Emily.

"You know we've been fighting?" Emily asked in return.

Ellie nodded a response, but Michelle actually replied with words. "We didn't ever hear about what, but you've been kinda quiet," the girl noted.

"And we haven't had dinner all together for nearly two weeks," Ellie added.

"And you haven't kissed each other in a long time," Michelle observed.

"And I know Derek has been sleeping on the sofa downstairs," Ellie said.

Morgan kept the flashlight beam aimed toward the west wall so he didn't blind anyone with it. It was just enough light to see everyone on the bed, the brown, hazel and green eyes of his three girls. He shared a brief look with Emily, both of them realizing that the girls were much more perceptive than they gave them credit for. He quickly returned his gaze to Ellie. "How did you know I've been sleeping on the sofa?"

"I was thirsty one night and went downstairs to get some juice. That was the first time I saw you sleeping there," the girl informed him matter-of-factly. "Then I woke up the next night and went to check if you were there again. You were," Ellie concluded.

Emily ran a hand over Michelle's soft hair. "Derek and I are sorry if our fighting alarmed you, but sometimes people argue. And we do need to talk to both of you, because there are going to be some big changes around here."

"You're breaking up?" Ellie guessed.

"You're not getting married?" Michelle's voice squeaked with disappointment. "But you can't split up, you said you were my parents now, and Ellie's too. You can't…"

"Hey, whoa…" Derek put a stop to her worries. "Michelle, we are not splitting up. Okay? I promise, we're not," he assured her.

"Your dad's right," Emily agreed.

Ellie sighed. "So, the big changes are about me, aren't they?" the child asked. "You want me to go back to California. I did something wrong, didn't I?"

"No…" Derek shook his head, pulling the girl closer. "No," he repeated, letting the flashlight bounce on the bed as he hugged her. "This has nothing to do with anything you did," he whispered to her. When their hug ended moments later, he looked to Michelle. "Neither of you did anything wrong. And no one is leaving this family. Actually, we're going to be expanding again." He and Emily hadn't talked about when they'd tell the girls the big news, but it seemed a good time now.

Michelle took a shaky breath as she came down from her momentary fear of their family falling apart. "What do you mean? We're getting another dog?"

Campbell gave a disapproving whine. Morgan chuckled. "No, I mean your mom is going to have a baby."

"Why?" Michelle instantly asked, turning to stare at Emily.

"What do you mean, why, chaton?" Emily felt her heart quicken with worry as she regarded the girl she'd come to love as a daughter.

"Why do you need a baby?" Michelle asked morosely as she pulled away from Emily's embrace and got out of the warm bed. "You have me and Ellie," she gulped. "We don't need a baby," her soft voice broke. "I don't want you to have a baby," the last words fell from her mouth as she ran out of the room.

Derek caught Emily's eye, both of them surprised by the girl's negative reaction. "That didn't go very well," he needlessly said.

"She's jealous," Ellie spoke up. "That's pretty obvious. If you two have a baby it will be your real kid, and she's not. Neither am I."

"Are you jealous?" Emily asked the girl.

Ellie shrugged as she got to her feet. "I should go check on Michelle," she said, looking to the door and dark hallway beyond with wary eyes.

"Here, take this," Derek placed the flashlight in Ellie's hand, sensing that she didn't want to traverse the darkness alone. When the girl, bravely armed with a flashlight, disappeared from their sight, Derek crawled back into bed. He felt Emily mould her body against his in the complete darkness. And Campbell rearranged himself to accommodate them. "Remind me to buy a battery powered lantern or some flashlights for the girls to have in their room," Derek said.

"Should we go talk to them?" she asked, listening to the soft thrum of thunder as the storm passed further into the distance.

He shook his head against her shoulder. "Nah, I think they need time to let it sink in. We should all sleep on it and talk again in the morning," Derek declared.

xxx

Saturday morning dawned, bright and sunny, birds chirping as if the previous night's storm had never taken place. Even the power was back on. But several branches lying on the ground in the back yard, wind-blown flowers, and soggy grass were sure signs that it had occurred. Emily stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, trying not to think about how her stomach felt like it was on a rollercoaster as she smelled the pancakes that were cooking beside her. Mixing the batter hadn't caused her to gag, but the smell of it sizzling on the griddle had her reaching for the piece of dry toast Derek had made her.

"How you doing?" he asked, noticing the grimace on her face as she stuffed the toast in her mouth and chewed. Derek poured a second cup of coffee then kissed her cheek. "At least you're eating," he observed. "Would you like me to finish cooking those?" he finally offered, hating to see her suffer.

Her eyes rolled at the eating comment, but Emily happily stepped aside when he offered to do the cooking. She swallowed her bite. "Thanks," Emily said as she went to the fridge in search of the ginger ale Derek had purchased at the corner store on his morning run with Campbell. As Emily poured a small amount into a juice glass, she and Derek greeted Ellie. The girl joined them in the kitchen, grabbed a glass and poured herself some orange juice.

"Look at you," Morgan remarked. "Already showered and dressed on a Saturday morning?"

Ellie nodded as she drank her juice and sat down on a stool at the counter. "Because we're gonna go watch Marty's game today, right? You said we could this weekend," she reminded him. "We haven't gone since his first game in April."

"We did promise," Derek recalled, turning to Emily. "What do you think, you up for that?" he asked. Shortly after the life saving treatment Emily had made possible for the young boy, Marty's father had relocated the family to Fredericksburg, Virginia to take a higher paying job. A decision prompted by the boy's mountainous medical bills. But it put them about an hour south of DC, much more accessible for attending Marty's baseball games. True to his word, the boy had regained his strength in record time and was playing again.

"As long as I take some crackers with me I should be okay," Emily agreed.

"Then it sounds like the game is a go," Derek informed Ellie. He watched her smile and it pleased him a great deal. But he was worried that the girl hadn't said anything about the baby to them yet. He was also concerned that Michelle hadn't come downstairs with her older sister. "Where's your sidekick?" he asked Ellie. "Is she sleeping in?"

"No, she's working on a science worksheet that isn't due until Wednesday," Ellie replied. "She told me she's not hungry,"

"But we made her favorite pancakes," Emily said as she watched Derek slide one onto a plate and put it on the counter in front of Ellie. "With chocolate chips."

Derek flipped the other pancakes on the griddle. "What is with this family and food lately?" he directed his question to no one in particular as he took a quick sip from his mug of hot coffee. "I finally get Emily to eat again," he waved the spatula toward the woman in question who was still nibbling on her toast. "And now Michelle is off food?"

"She's still upset," Ellie said as she slathered her pancake with butter and syrup. "About the baby."

Emily took a deep breath and sat her ginger ale down on the counter. "I'll go talk to her," she offered, taking off before Derek could say anything. She found the ten-year-old dressed for the day and sitting at her desk doing homework just as Ellie had reported. "Hi, baby," Emily ran her hand along the girl's braided hair and kissed her forehead. "Can we talk?" she asked, moving over to the lower bunk that was the younger girl's domain.

Michelle stopped what she was doing. She remained quiet, staring at the woman who sat down on her bed. "Are you really having a baby?" the girl asked, staying at her desk.

"I am," Emily replied with caution.

The girl sighed heavily as she tapped her pencil against the science worksheet that was already half finished. "When you have the baby, I'm afraid I won't be your chaton anymore, because I won't be your baby anymore," Michelle whispered. "I was mommy's baby, but then she died. Then I was your baby, but now I won't even be that anymore."

"Oh, sweetheart," Emily felt weepy just thinking about how much the girl had already lost in her short life. "You are my first baby, and that will never change," she assured the child, recalling the day she'd hauled Michelle up over the wall of a building she'd nearly falling off of. That adrenaline-rushed labor of love had forged a bond between them that Emily felt was as strong as any mother having given birth. "And you'll always be my chaton, my little kitten," she smiled to help reassure the girl. "The baby can have a different pet name, just like grandpa Joe has different nicknames for all of us."

"But babies cry a lot, don't they?" the child still wasn't feeling very pleased about anything baby related.

"Yes, they do. This baby will take up a lot of mine and your dad's time and attention. But…" Emily trailed off, suddenly feeling something that didn't seem quite right. Her stomach had been upset from all the food smells downstairs, but something else had her worried at the moment as she got up from Michelle's bed. "I…" she didn't say anything else before quickly heading to the bathroom across the hall.

Michelle hurried after her, sensing something wasn't right. "Mom?" she called to the woman behind the closed door. "Mommy? Are you okay?" When she didn't get any kind of answer she ran to the top of the stairs and called out for Derek. "Dad!" she shouted. "Come quick!"

Derek felt an icy tingle of dread slide along his spine when he heard the fear infused in the girl's voice. He dashed up the stairs two at a time with Ellie right behind him. Campbell sat outside the bathroom door at attention, looking worried. Derek turned to Michelle with questioning eyes, but she simply pointed to the bathroom door. "Emily?" he knocked on the door and then tried the handle. It opened and he found her standing by the sink. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know," she looked to him with worry etched across every inch of her face. "There's some blood, not very much, but…"

"Okay," he went to her side and took her arm. "We'll go to the Emergency room, right? Can you walk?"

Emily nodded. "It's probably nothing," she spoke softly, clearly worried that it was something.

"Well, let's just be sure about that," Derek calmly insisted as he called orders to the girls to get shoes on and jump in the car, not wanting to leave them at home alone.

xxx

The exam room was all white, very sterile, and it felt rather claustrophobic to Emily. That was not a feeling she'd ever experienced before, being completely used to the numerous small airplane trips taken for her job. And her feelings weren't being helped by the fact that an hour and a half had passed since the nurse had taken all her vitals and asked her to strip from the waist down. The cold, stiff sheet covering her lower half was just another annoying reminder that she'd all but been forgotten in the room.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked for the umpteenth time. He sat on a rolling stool beside her, holding her hand, doing his best to stay calm.

Her eyes rolled to the ceiling, the plain white ceiling that matched the plain white walls that she was about ready to climb. "Oh, yeah… wonderful," Emily drawled. "I was actually just thinking I should hack off a hand or my arm to see if I could finally get a doctor in here." She took a breath, feeling Derek's hand squeeze hers in sympathy. What she was really trying to avoid was feelings of guilt. But they finally trickled out. "A day ago I thought this was what I wanted," Emily whispered. "But now… I really don't want to lose this baby."

Derek leaned over to kiss her temple. "I know you don't," he whispered back in the most reassuring tone he could muster. "I know."

A brief knock sounded against the other side of the door and seconds later a man appeared, dressed in green scrubs, a smile planted on his face. "Hello," the young man greeted them upon entering. A nurse followed him inside, a different one than the one who'd taken Emily's vitals. "I'm Dr. Nelson, but please feel free to call me Jake," he reached for Derek's hand to shake. Then he followed through and shook Emily's.

"How old are you?" Emily asked.

"Old enough," Jake grinned. "I'm a resident, currently doing at ER rotation but specializing in Obstetrics," he informed them.

Emily scowled at the man, thinking he had to be even younger than Reid. "Do you always leave people waiting this long?" she asked.

Morgan cringed, laying a hand against her shoulder. "You'll have to excuse her, but we have been waiting a while."

"I'm sorry about that," the young doctor replied as he pulled up another stool and sat, flipping through Emily's information. "We are very short staffed this morning, and I had an emergency delivery. A woman was pushed down some stairs by her abusive ex and she went into labor. Everything went amazingly well, though. She didn't have any internal injuries and the baby was a healthy seven pound girl," he smiled proudly.

Hearing that story made Emily feel about two inches tall, and ridiculously petty. "That's great," she managed to pull on a small smile for him.

"Then I ran into these two young girls at the nurse's station while I was asking for your file," the doctor said. "Cute kids; both had dark hair and they were hounding the poor intake nurse with questions about you," he revealed. "They looked pretty worried, so I took a second to tell them I was going to take good care of you. Then I gave them a few dollars for the vending machine. I hope you don't mind."

Morgan grinned. "That was… you really didn't have to do that. I'll pay you back," he said, feeling bad that he hadn't been out to check on the girls in a while.

"Please don't," Jake replied. "I have a few precocious nieces, and I'd want them to be reassured if it were my sister in here." He glanced at the file in his hand again. "Looks like your blood pressure is fine," he noted. "And everything else seems within normal," he looked to Emily. "So, the bleeding was pretty light?"

She nodded. "Yes, just a few spots really. But it kind of scared me," which was an understatement. She'd been a lot more freaked out than she cared to admit.

"No clots?" he continued. "No cramping?"

Her head shook as she squeezed Derek's hand. "No, nothing like that."

"Well, I'm glad you came in," the doctor said as he waved a hand toward something near the nurse. She brought the item over. "Spotting occurs in roughly 25-40 percent of pregnant women, so it's not uncommon. However, it can sometimes be a precursor to miscarriage. Judging from what you've said I don't think you've miscarried, but I'd like to do a transvaginal scan just to take a look, make sure everything is progressing normally. I just need you to put your feet up in the stirrups and slide down toward the edge of the exam bed."

Emily caught sight of the long wand-like item the nurse handed Dr. Jake Nelson and her eyes grew larger. "Hey, doc… I usually prefer guys buy me dinner, or at least drinks, before they get this intimate with me," she joked.

Derek chuckled, too, glad of the comic relief his fiancée often brought to stressful situations. "Does that actually go where I think it goes?" he finally asked, not wanting to be some dumb dad who was too freaked out by female medical procedures to ask questions. "Don't those ultrasound things usually use something…" he waved a hand over Emily stomach. "You know, on the outside?" he asked.

Jake smiled reassuringly. "Emily's intake information lists that she's at about eight weeks gestation, which means the kind of scan you're thinking of won't be likely to show us anything. A transvaginal scan gives a much clearer picture in early pregnancy," he explained.

"Okay," Derek nodded along, still not certain what all the differences were. "But, eight weeks? That's before we were even in Paris."

The doctor noticed Emily's flushed cheeks upon that revelation. "Gestation is counted starting from the first day of a woman's last period. So, it's sort of a funny way of doing math, but essentially Emily was pregnant for two weeks before the actual conception."

"Huh?" Morgan was suddenly beyond the point of comprehension.

"I know, it's confusing," Jake agreed. He made sure Emily was prepared for the procedure before beginning, the nurse assisting him. With wand in place the screen came to life revealing a rather clear black and white image. "Here we are," the doctor pointed to a blob on the screen. "That's your baby right there. At six weeks it's still looking very tadpole like, and roughly a half inch long," he explained.

The two of them were completely mesmerized by the blob that looked nothing like a baby. "You're telling me that a half inch tadpole is making me feel this nauseous," Emily was doubtful of how that was possible.

A nod came from the doctor. "Hard to believe, I know." He then pointed to something else. "See that small white spot there?"

"It looks like its flickering?" Emily asked.

"Yes, that's your baby's heart beating," Jake informed them.

"Seriously?" Derek suddenly didn't give a damn about gestation age, all he could focus on was the tiny flicker of life on the screen. He glanced over to see a tear rolling down Emily's cheek and he kissed it away for her. "That's our baby," he whispered.

"And here…" Jake moved the wand a little. "Are your ovaries," he noted. "You'll be happy to know that it's not an ectopic pregnancy, and I don't see any other indication of abnormality that would be causing the bleeding. Sometimes it just happens," he concluded.

That answer was not entirely reassuring to Emily, but seeing her jelly bean sized baby helped ease her mind a little. "So, I shouldn't be worried about miscarriage?"

Jake removed the wand and allowed the nurse to clean things up. "At this point it's a good idea for you and your OB to keep a close eye on things. And I suggest you take it as easy as possible for a few days. But, honestly, a fetus is a lot tougher than we usually give it credit."

"I don't have an OB yet," Emily revealed. "Are you available?"

"I'm flattered, but I can't actually practice yet even though I pretty much do it all already," Jake replied. "But I can make a recommendation. Or your gynecologist can. And maybe by the time you decide to have another baby I'll be able to be your doctor."

"HA!" Emily barked. "Oh, you are funny. This baby wasn't exactly planned," she told him. "And since I'm forty-one now I doubt there'll be another baby for us."

The doctor smiled. "I seriously doubt you're forty-one," he remarked.

Emily looked to Derek. "I like him," she smiled.

"Hey, doc," Morgan eyed the younger man. "She's taken," he quipped.

"Understood," Jake grinned. He turned to Emily again. "Follow up with your doctor first thing next week and get that recommendation. Other than that, as pleasurable as this has been, I hope I don't see either of you in here again." He shook both their hands again before rushing off to his next patient.

Morgan breathed out, his heartbeat slowing a little in response to the good news. But then he spotted more tears in Emily's eyes as she scrambled off the exam bed and grabbed her underwear. "What's wrong? You feel okay?" he questioned worriedly.

"Fine," her reply was a horse whisper. "Just… happy that everything is good. When I saw that blood, I thought…"

He handed over her pants and stayed close, lending silent support. "You heard the doctor, babies are a lot stronger than we realize."

"I know," she said, sliding into the sandals that she'd donned in a rush to get out of the house. "I just can't believe I ever considered not having this baby. It makes me feel awful."

Derek gently kissed her in the hopes of further banishing her remorse. Then he took her hand and led her out of the white room, into the white hall and to the nurse's station where they had to sign a few things. Emily had barely finished with the paperwork when Michelle barreled into her, arms snaking around her mother's waist. "I'm sorry, mommy," she whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt the baby."

Emily's heart ached even more to hear the girl call her mommy. She recalled hearing it earlier when Michelle had knocked on the bathroom door, fear lacing her tone. So far she'd only ever been mom to Michelle, the more affectionate mommy term having been reserved for Anna alone. She kissed the girl. "Look at me," Emily said, peeling Michelle's arms away from her waist. "You didn't hurt the baby."

"But I said things about not needing a baby, and maybe it was mad at me about that?" the child asked. "Maybe it thinks I don't want it?"

"The baby doesn't think that," Morgan was the one to answer. "Why don't we all go sit outside?" he suggested, spotting the sunshine streaming in through narrow windows in the stuffy hospital waiting lobby. Everyone agreed to that idea and they soon crowded onto a small wood bench just past the automatic doors. "We all say things sometimes that we don't really mean. You're confused about this baby business and that's perfectly understandable," Derek addressed the girls.

"We didn't plan this," Emily added. "And it has taken me a while to warm up to the idea of having this baby," she admitted to them. "But your dad and I have made a choice. We want this baby; we already love this baby very much. But before this baby came into our lives, you came into our life," she gave Michelle a soft squeeze. Then she eyed Ellie who sat beside Derek. "And you, too. We chose to have both of you in our family, and we love you guys so much. That's not going to change when this baby is born."

"Is it gonna be a girl?" Ellie asked.

Morgan was surprised by the shift in topic, but glad that the child seemed interested. "We don't know yet," he answered. "Why, do you want another sister?"

"Girls are nice," Michelle finally spoke up again.

"Hey, I'm sitting right here," Derek protested as he reached over to tickle the younger girl.

Michelle squirmed away from his attacking hand. "I know, dad," the girl giggled. "I was going to say that girls are nice, but we already have three girls. So, maybe a boy would be good, because then it would be three and three."

"Your mom's not having twins, sweetness," he quickly replied.

Ellie laughed at that. "I think she meant because Campbell is a boy."

"Yep," Michelle nodded.

"Oh, right," Derek grinned. His eyes came to rest on Emily again. "If you get another girl, I get another dog."

Emily laughed hardily at his comment. "Yeah, good luck with that. I think three kids, one dog, a beta fish and seven goldfish is more than enough for one household."

"How about a cat?" Michelle asked.

"I don't think so," Emily's head shook.

"That wasn't a 'no'," Derek whispered conspiratorially to Michelle.

"So, I suppose I should text Marty and tell him we're not coming to his game today," Ellie guessed.

A quick glance at Derek's watch told Emily what she needed to know. "Actually, if we left now we could still make it to the game," she suggested.

"Em, the doctor told you to take it easy," Derek reminded her. "It's an hour drive down there."

She stood and stared down at him for a moment, a smile firmly in place as she appreciated his protective nature. "I'll be a passenger in the car while _you're_ driving. I can even take a nap. And then I'll sit on a bench and watch a baseball game in the sun," Emily stated. "That's not exactly stress inducing in my book. And I could probably write a book on the topic," she noted. "Besides, we promised Ellie. And we promised Marty we'd be there."

The other three got to their feet and they all began walking toward the SUV. Derek took Emily's hand, still worried about her. "Are you sure?"

"As long as we swing by the house and pick up my crackers and ginger ale," she nodded.

"And Campbell," Ellie added. "He should come with us."

"Baseball is kind of boring," Michelle voiced her opinion on the outing.

Emily put a hand against the girl's shoulder. "Well, my dear, when you're part of a family you sometimes have to do things you don't necessarily like. You have to go with the flow, not always getting to do what _you_ want. Kind of like you and Ellie not having a choice about us having a baby. And we made a promise to your sister and Marty, and it's important to keep your promises. Understand?"

"Yes," the girl nodded. "Can I have an ice cream cone there?" her interest peeked.

"Ugh," Emily put a hand to her woozy stomach. "Please, don't mention ice cream."

Ellie and Michelle walked ahead of the adults as they crossed the parking lot. Derek wrapped his arm around Emily's waist. "I know we've been doing everything completely backwards so far, but how about we at least get married before this baby is born?" he suggested.

"Small," Emily replied.

"Uh," Derek's brow furrowed as he regarded her. "You lost me…"

A smile crinkled her eyes. "I would like to have a very small ceremony, possibly just you, me and the girls?"

"Sorry, can't do that," his head shook in disapproval. "You know mama would kill me if she didn't get to be at our wedding," Derek pointed out. "And I'd really like her to be there," he added. "As well as my sisters," he concluded.

Her smile returned. "Okay, and my parents," she conceded.

Morgan gave a quick nod; glad she wanted her parents there. He'd been about to add them to the list anyhow, along with a few other folks that had come to mind. "Penelope will also be on the list of those who'd like to kill us if she doesn't get to be at the wedding," he finally revealed.

Emily nodded as they reached their vehicle. Derek hit the unlock button on his keychain and opened the front passenger side door for her. Once he was inside as well, Emily continued their conversation. "So," she started counting off with her fingers. "We definitely have to include Garcia, JJ, Reid, Hotch and Rossi… that's another five to add to the bunch."

"Probably Kevin, Will, Henry and Jack as well," Morgan added.

"Of course," Emily grinned. "That brings us to a grand total of… eighteen, right? Including us." She shrugged. "I guess that's not so bad. But eighteen is it, no more."

Derek sucked in a breath. "Um," he hesitated a moment before adding another. "I think we're going to have to make it nineteen."

"Why?" she was not amused by the way her small wedding kept growing.

"Because Campbell will never forgive us if he's not invited," Morgan revealed.

The girls chuckled from the backseat, having overheard his reason. "Oh, yes," Emily exaggeratedly replied. "The world would probably come to an end if we forgot to include the very spoiled Campbell on our wedding day." She smiled, though, knowing she loved the dog just as much as the rest of them. In fact, the canine had been stuck to her side the whole of the last two weeks; almost as if he'd known something was different about her. "Okay, okay… nineteen total including us and the dog. Anything else?" she questioned.

"Can we do it next weekend?" Derek pressed.

"We can," she easily agreed.

* * *

**End**


	86. Kiss

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Kiss**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek caught Hotch's eye as soon as he and Emily entered. Everyone else was already gathered in the BAU room when they arrived on Monday morning. Morgan could tell the team leader had already heard the news, most likely from Strauss. After their visit to the ER on Saturday morning it had been well after ten o'clock, past the deadline Strauss had given Derek to change his mind. But the medical scare had only served to reinforce his decision. Now came the hard part of telling everyone, people who'd become more than co-workers over the years; even more than friends. They were family, and it would be very hard to say goodbye to them.

Emily and Morgan took seats at the table, but even JJ seemed stalled, perhaps having been told by Hotch to hold off on the briefing. Hotch gave a small nod, which Morgan took as his cue to speak. "Last Friday I informed director Strauss that I will be leaving the BAU," he decided not to dance around the issue, stating things outright. "I have two weeks left here."

"You're transferring?" Rossi asked.

"Did you get a promotion?" Reid questioned.

Garcia looked rather heartsick as she glanced from Derek to Emily and back again. "Are you both going?"

"No," Emily spoke for the first time. "I'm staying. I have no plans to leave any time soon," she assured the team.

"Are you retiring?" JJ aimed her words at Morgan, still trying to work out what was going on.

He shared a brief look with his fiancée, which told him everything he needed to know. "I'm not really retiring, but I have resigned from the bureau," Derek noticed the confused features of their faces. "I'm taking a new job, a very different but important job. I've decided to be a full-time dad," he announced.

The room was quiet for a beat. It wasn't a completely foreign concept in this day and age, but it did seem a little sudden. "Aren't the girls pretty much past the age of needing someone around full-time?" Reid wondered aloud. He knew they'd both experienced traumatic things that would probably make most kids regress. But he'd spent enough time with Ellie and Michelle to know that wasn't the case. Somehow, most likely with Derek and Emily's love and support, the girls had become quite independent and responsible.

"Somewhat," Emily agreed. "But the main reason Derek wants to be a full-time dad is so he can take care of the baby when it's born," she revealed with a smile, unable to keep her hand from resting against her still very flat stomach. Emily watched as five pairs of eyes widened upon hearing her announcement. It was a little early to be telling people the big news, especially after their ER visit a few days ago. But watching their jellybean-sized baby's heart beating on the ultrasound screen had given both of them faith that little Morgan Jr. was strong enough to make it through for the long haul.

"You're pregnant!" Penelope leapt from her chair but was torn as to who she wanted to hug first. She finally settled for wrapping one arm around Derek and the other around Emily, creating a group hug between the three of them.

Rossi couldn't pass up an opportunity to tease them. "So, when is the shotgun wedding?" he asked.

"Actually, it's this Saturday," Emily calmly replied. "But if you call it a shotgun wedding again you're not invited," she fired back at him.

"We're not rushing the wedding because of the baby," Derek grew defensive, even though he'd been the one to say he wanted to get married before the baby came. "I would have married Emily the day we got engaged, but this is just the way it worked out. And, like Emily said, there'll be a small ceremony this Saturday to which you're all invited."

Dave approached Derek, hand extended. "I was just joking," Rossi apologized, sensing he'd ruffled a few feathers. "I think it's admirable what you're doing, the wedding and especially wanting to stay home and take care of your children. No hard feelings?"

Morgan smiled as shook Rossi's hand. "None."

With that small bump smoothed over, everyone else offered up their congratulations. "You'll be missed around here," Hotch said as he shook Derek's hand. "Both professionally and personally," it was the most emotion he'd showed for the man in a long time, possibly ever.

Reid looked a little morose, though, upon hearing the news of one of his best friends leaving. He, too, shook Derek's hand. "I can still babysit occasionally," he offered, not really sure what else to say about the whole situation.

"That'd be great," Derek grinned appreciatively, knowing he'd see them all from time-to-time.

Spencer placed a small kiss against Emily's cheek. "I'm very happy for you," he let her know. "And I'm glad it's you staying rather than him," the doctor concluded.

"Hey!" Morgan exclaimed.

The team all had a good laugh at Derek's expense.

xxx

Fran Morgan flew in to DC on Wednesday night. Despite the short notice about her son's wedding, she'd dropped everything and arranged to arrive a few days early in order to help out. Sarah and Desiree wouldn't be flying in until Saturday morning due to work conflicts. But Fran had jumped at the chance to spend some extra time with her family. They picked her up the airport after work and had a simple meal together at home, which Fran insisted on helping with.

Hours later Derek helped Emily put clean sheets on the full-sized bed in their guest room, a space that would soon be converted into a nursery. Finished with that task, they went to stand in the open doorway of the girls' room where Fran was saying goodnight to the children. "Nana," Michelle addressed the woman as she'd been doing since their trip to Chicago in December. She rested her head against a green and white polka dot pillowcase. "Can Ellie call you nana, too? Now that mom and dad are getting married?"

"Michelle, don't," Ellie replied from her top bunk, clearly uncomfortable about the request. She did her best to sink further beneath the blue and white polka dots of her sheets.

The younger girl wasn't daunted by her sister's reaction. "But if I call her nana and the baby calls her nana then I don't want you to feel left out," Michelle reasoned.

"The baby?" Fran asked.

Derek winced as he and Emily moved fully into the girls' room, revealing their presence. Morgan sat down on the edge of Michelle's bed and patted the lump where her feet were. "That was still meant to be a secret, sweetness."

"Oops," the girl shrugged.

Intrigued by the news, Fran kissed Michelle goodnight then she straightened to her full height in order to spy Ellie in the top bunk. "You don't have to call me nana yet, or ever if you don't want to. But I'd be honored to have you call me that if you ever do want to," she left the decision up to the girl. "Goodnight," Fran whispered.

"Goodnight," Ellie replied with a shy, but thankful smile.

Emily and Derek kissed the girls and bid them goodnight before the three adults left the room. They quietly slipped into the guest room where Fran scrutinized them both. "So, is there something you'd like to tell me about a baby?" she questioned.

"How would you like to be a grandma?" Derek asked.

"You mean, again," Fran replied.

"Well, a real grandbaby, which you've been hounding me for all these years," Morgan remarked.

"Derek Morgan," Fran's tone was reproachful. "Surely you know me better than that. Or perhaps you don't. Either way, I'll clarify now once and for all. I consider Michelle and Ellie just as much my real grandchildren as you consider them your real children. Understood?"

Feeling sufficiently chastised, he nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Emily chuckled softly until Fran's raptor gaze fell upon her. "Now, I assume this means you're pregnant?" the older woman asked her soon-to-be daughter-in-law. "Or is there another child you're thinking of bringing into the family?"

"No, this one is going to come the old fashioned way," Emily answered. "Conceived the old fashioned way, too," she added.

Morgan gave Emily a hand waving across the throat signal, thinking that was probably significantly more information than his mother needed to know. "You're not upset, are you?" he asked the older woman. "About the timing of things?"

Fran stepped forward to give her son a loving hug. "Derek, didn't you ever realized that Sarah was born seven months after your father and I got married?" she asked, watching his brows arch a little upon hearing her admit to the fact that he'd likely guessed before. "Granted, I didn't realize I was with child at the time," Fran added. "And our wedding had been planned for six months. But," she shrugged. "These things happen. The most important thing is that you want this baby?" she looked to both of them for her answer.

"Yes," Derek nodded.

"Very much," Emily let the woman know.

"Good. I'm incredibly happy for you," Fran grinned, bestowing another congratulatory hug upon Emily. She then went to fish something out of her bag. Fran held the folded piece of paper in her left hand and passed it off to Derek. "Now, this isn't much, but I wanted to give you a little something as a wedding gift. It's just two nights at a small Bed and Breakfast place in Virginia Beach. For Saturday and Sunday nights. And I'll stay with the girls. I arranged to be off work until Tuesday, so don't you fret about that."

"Mama… this is great," Derek hugged her, kissing her cheek, knowing better than to tell her it was too much of a gift. "Thank you."

xxx

Joseph turned around when his daughter walked into the solarium at the back of his house. He wore a happy grin upon seeing Emily dressed in a light teal dress with thin straps. It was form fitting, but also flowed outward a little at the bottom, dusting the ground. Her hair was worn down, flowing over her shoulders, the right side pushed behind her ear with a sparkly blue clip that had been her something blue gift from Garcia and JJ. In her hands she clutched a small bunch of bright red tulips that Michelle and Ellie had picked from their yard. They'd arranged the flowers, tied them neatly with some silver ribbon, and presented the bouquet as her something new gift.

"You look amazing," Joseph told her as he stepped forward and kissed Emily's cheek. He spotted the solitary pearl necklace she was wearing and his smile grew. "Your mother wore that the day we were married," he recalled with fond memory, even though he'd still been a bit of a naïve child at the time. His eyes flicked to the pearl earrings she was wearing, which very nearly matched the necklace. "Those I don't remember."

"The necklace is my something barrowed gift, from mom," Emily confirmed. "And the earrings are my something old gift from Fran, also borrowed, though, because she wore them at her wedding to Derek's father. Apparently Fran and mom have been conspiring on the idea since we announced our engagement. Maybe even before that," she laughed.

"Beautiful," he whispered, though he wasn't actually referring to the jewelry.

"Don't cry," Emily warned him, seeing the tears welled in his eyes. "You'll make me cry," she sniffed.

His lips remained pursed for a moment as he bit down on the emotions. "I'm sorry, I just…" he sighed reflectively. "I can't help seeing you as a little baby in my arms," Joe whispered, still choked up a little. "Now you're a beautiful woman about to be married."

She chuckled softly. "And it's about time, right?"

Joseph laughed with her for a moment then he squeezed her hand. "I'm so happy for you, for this marriage and the baby…" he instantly caught the way her eyes widened upon his mention of the baby. "Your mother told me, but don't be mad at her. I knew something was going on when I returned from Texas. I pried it out of her."

"I'm not mad," Emily's head shook slightly. "Just… are you disappointed in me?" she asked nervously. Even well into adulthood she still sought her parent's approval.

"Of course not," he reached out to affectionately pat her cheek. "Why would you think such a thing, because your baby came before the wedding?" the question didn't wait for an answer. "That would be a bit hypocritical of me," he noted. "I love you and I've grown very fond of Derek, I couldn't be happier for the two of you. And the way you've taken on Michelle and Ellie, I have never been more proud to call you my daughter," Joe insisted. "And being here for this celebration, walking with you… it is my honor," he let her know, eyes misting again. "We should probably get going, though. Your mother mentioned ten minutes ago that everyone was gathered. So, you ready, pumpkin?" he asked.

His use of the pet name did cause a tear to trickle down her cheek, but she quickly swiped it away and nodded. Emily took the arm he offered and they walked together into the manicured yard. True to her request it was a relatively small ceremony consisting of seventeen human guests, including a Justice of the Peace whom her mother had commissioned to perform the ceremony, and one canine attendant. Everyone stood in the garden; same as they'd all gathered one year ago to pay their respects to Anna. Emily had picked the same place for her wedding for that very reason, so she could feel somewhat connected to her sister on the special day.

Derek's sisters and his mother stood close to the front, beaming proudly. Elizabeth stood to the left of them and the BAU guests all filled in behind them. Then there was Derek, who Emily locked eyes with as she and her father made their way through the center of the small group. No music played, but someone started to softly hum the traditional wedding match and soon a whole chorus of: dum, dum, dee, dum, filled the garden. Emily couldn't help chuckle at the decidedly non-traditional ceremony. She thought it was the best wedding she'd ever attended, especially as she came to stand beside Derek.

His dark suit and white shirt were complimented by a tie several shades of teal darker than her dress. "Glad you could make it," Derek greeted her as he shook Joe's hand.

Emily grinned at his comment. Then her eyes fell upon the girls. Michelle wore a summery purple dress as she stood beside her mother. Ellie took position next to Derek, standing there quietly in a pale green dress. The other member of their group was a yellow Lab who sat at attention between Derek and the Justice of the Peace. Emily eyed the dog more closely for a second and shook her head. "Is Campbell wearing a bow tie?"

Both girls chuckled. "Ellie and I made it for him out of construction paper and pinned it to his collar," Michelle proudly confirmed.

Morgan shrugged as he took hold of Emily's right hand. "No one can ever accuse us of being normal," he smiled, bringing the back of her hand to his lips and kissing it softly.

The JP looked to them for approval to start the service. After receiving two nods he began, "We have gathered here today to witness and celebrate the matrimonial union of Derek Morgan and Emily Prentiss," he declared. "Marriage is a promise between two people who love each other, who trust that love, who honor one another as individuals in that togetherness, and who wish to spend the rest of their lives together. Derek and Emily have asked to recite personal vows at this time," he looked to Emily for her to begin.

She bit her lip, not expecting to feel so nervous all of a sudden. "When I joined the BAU and we started working together," Emily kept her focus solely on Derek as she spoke. "I have to admit that I made some snap decisions about you. I knew you to be smart, of course, but I also casually perceived you as a bit of a womanizer and a jock. Two qualities I had very little interest in," she revealed. "But then I endured a horrible date one night, and the next morning I came to work, spilled coffee all over myself and proceeded to display my nerd tendencies to the highest degree by mentioning the name Kilgore Trout," she recalled the day as if it had happened just moments ago.

Morgan grinned as he squeezed her hand, also clearly remembering that day. "I was expecting your eyes to cloud over with confusion," Emily continued. "But instead, you surprised me that day. And you've been surprising me ever since with your constant love and support, the way you always manage to make me see that things will work out. You let me be myself, something I was rarely able to do growing up. You love me for who I am, and for that I am truly blessed, and truly grateful," she sniffed.

"Today, as we commit to one another under the eyes of the law, I simply reaffirm the commitments we've already made to one another in our hearts," Emily proceeded. "To love you all the days I am granted to live, to love and guide our children together as a family, to help you smile and laugh when times are tough, to be thankful when times are good, to be your best friend, and to have your back… always," she concluded.

Derek pressed his lips to her hand again as he smiled. "Well, it seems I was not the only one who changed their first impression opinion. Because I will say that I had you pegged for a spoiled rich girl when I first learned who you were," Morgan admitted. "More over I assumed you weren't the kind of woman who'd ever give me the time of day. But as we worked together and I got to know you better I realized what a truly unique and remarkable person you are. You jumped right into the fire at work, not afraid to go toe-to-toe with the worst dregs of society. And you kept up with me, which I have to say I found very sexy," he informed her.

"But on the flip side of your take-no-prisoners attitude I found one of the kindest, gentlest souls I've ever known," Derek continued. "The simple way you hold the hand of a victim, or lend support with a kind word or two… I can tell that it often makes all the difference in the world to the people we help," he smiled. "You made me want to delve deeper, open you up and find out what really made you tick. I am grateful every day that you allowed me that discovery, to open those gifts, to thrive on them," Derek thanked her.

Emily shed a tear as she listened to his heartfelt words. "Now, as we make this lifelong commitment to one another," he proceeded. "I only hope that I can continue to make more of those discoveries with you. I hope to be granted the freedom to love you every day and to love our amazing children, Ellie and Michelle…"

"Don't forget the baby, dad," Michelle added, clear enough for everyone to hear.

"Of course not," he replied, squeezing the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "I promise to love all our children, Ellie, Michelle, little unknown baby," Derek patted Emily's stomach, glad to have that secret out in the open, even if they were still worried about the miscarriage scare they'd had. "And Campbell," he looked down at the dog for a moment. "And Chester the beta," he continued. "As well as our seven beloved goldfish, Doc, Sneezy, Bashful…"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Emily groaned even though she still wore a smile.

Derek laughed, promptly abandoning the other goldfish names. His hands rested on her hips as he stared into her brown eyes. "I promise to love you until I draw my last breath," he vowed. "To never take you for granted, to keep holding your hair back while you puke up breakfast, or lunch, or dinner… to be the best father to your children that I can possible be, to hold your hand when you're sick, or sad, or lonely or happy. I promise to have your back… always," he concluded.

Emily sniffed again, having lost her battle with a few stray tears. She turned to Michelle. "Is there anything you'd like to say?"

"Um," Michelle looked from one parent to the other. "I hope you stay married forever and ever, because I love you both a lot and I always want you to be my mom and dad."

Morgan placed a hand against Ellie's shoulder. "How about you, kiddo?" he prompted.

"I just want to thank you both for making me part of your family," Ellie spoke softly and quickly.

"At this time Derek and Emily would like to make a final show of their love and commitment to one other by the exchanging of rings," the Justice of the Peace announced.

The girls each produced a ring, which they'd been holding on to during the ceremony. Michelle handed a wide silver band to Emily and watched as her mother slid the item onto Derek's left ring finger. "Derek, I give you this ring that has no beginning and no end as a symbol of our love for one another which will never die. It is also a sign of my trust in you and our marriage. I hope you wear it as a constant reminder of the vows I have made to you today."

He took the narrow silver band from Ellie and placed it on Emily's left ring finger, situating it beside the diamond engagement ring he'd given her at New Years. "Emily, I give you this ring that has no beginning and no end as a symbol of our love for one another which will never die. It is also a sign of my trust in you and our marriage. I hope you wear it as a constant reminder of the vows I have made to you today."

"Two lives have been joined today to embark on a new journey together," the Justice of the Peace conveyed. "By the power entrusted to me by the District of Columbia, I now pronounce you husband and wife…"

"Now you can kiss!" Michelle exclaimed, not waiting for the JP to make that declaration.

Emily first kissed her daughter's cheek. "I thought you hated when we kiss," she remarked.

"But it's your wedding; you have to kiss on your wedding day," Michelle insisted, and Ellie nodded her approval.

Morgan's hands came to rest on Emily's shoulders. "I think everyone is expecting it. We should probably give them at least a small kiss," he joked.

"Yeah, I guess we should," she agreed with a shrug and a big grin.

His right hand moved to the back of her neck, left hand dropping to her waist as he drew her closer. Eyes closed, and the world around them faded as their lips met with a spark of infinite promise the likes they'd never known before. It was fueled by applause from their friends and family. Derek smiled as their foreheads pressed against one another. "No kiss can ever knock that one out of the top spot on my list," he assured her.

xxx

Emily woke to the sound of birds chirping outside the window of their Bed and Breakfast accommodations. The cozy, and somewhat secluded place, was situated on four rural acres, but still just seven miles from the nearest beach. They'd arrived by five o'clock the night before and had a small meal, which Emily had mostly picked at. Her stomach was still rather woozy in regard to most food other than crackers, toast, ginger ale and some fruit.

She turned her head, glancing across the queen sized bed. There she found brown eyes staring back at her. Emily smiled to see him. "Morning sleepy-head," he greeted lightheartedly.

"What time is it?" she asked groggily, kicking the covers toward the end of the bed. In the last few days her body had become annoyed by even the softest fabrics. Even the silky tank top and underwear she had on felt rather displeasing to her skin.

"Nearly ten o'clock," he whispered a reply.

"Why'd you let me sleep so late?" she asked while a yawn escaped.

His hand moved upward beneath her shirt. "You seemed to need the extra rest," he whispered.

Emily caught his hand just before it could explore any further north. "Please don't," she said. "You have no idea how sore my boobs are right now," she complained. "How long have I been asleep? I swear I could sleep for another two days straight."

"You fell asleep at about seven thirty last night," he informed her.

Her eyes widened a little. "Oh, jeez… here I am telling you not to touch me and sleeping through our honeymoon. How pathetic," Emily lamented, more than a little embarrassed.

"It's okay," he assured her. "Dr. Maygra said we should abstain for a little while anyhow," Derek recalled from the appointment they'd gone to on Tuesday, a visit with the OB that her gynecologist had recommended. The woman had been very knowledgeable and kind, giving them the unpleasant news with a sympathetic smile. "I read an article in some magazine while you were doing all that initial paperwork," he recalled. "It said that a lot of pregnant woman have an increased sex drive in their second trimester."

"Ah," she chuckled. "So, you're just biding your time, waiting for the flood gates to open," Emily noted.

Morgan shifted uncomfortably. "Please, don't say flood gates," he whispered.

Hearing the restrain in his voice, Emily allowed her eyes to wander south of his boxer-brief waistband. "There are still some things I could do to help you out," she suggested, guessing he'd woken up in the predicament she happily slid her hands over.

"Em, you don't have to…" his words got sucked away by the warmth of her hands against his bare skin. True to his testosterone-laden heritage, he didn't try to stop her as she used both those hands to bring him release. A short while later his head lolled back against the fluffy pillows on their bed. "I guess we can't divorce on grounds of an unconsummated marriage now," he finally breathed out appreciatively.

Her body, though still sore and under doctor's orders, longed to be with him as more than a helping hand. But she settled for curling up beside him, resting her head against his muscled chest. His flesh seemed to be the only inoffensive surface against her skin at the moment. "Do you have any idea how much I love you for considering what we just did ample consummation of our marriage?" Emily asked.

"Actually, I still consider Paris to be our real honeymoon," he replied. "Because that was the day we created this life," his hand rested gently against her stomach. "And, like I mentioned before, I'm looking forward to that second trimester. You better not let me down," he warned playfully.

She laughed. "Well, until then, we can still do similar things like we just did, as well as one other thing," Emily turned her head and molded her lips to his, sucking the breath from his mouth as they kissed. "It's kind of nice being able to kiss without two girls making comments about it."

"True. I think we should enjoy it while we can," Derek gave in to the temptation, kissing her lips, neck, shoulders and ear lobes. "Because with three kids it might become impossible to find alone time for a while."

"I think we should add that to yesterday's wedding vows," Emily whispered between their kisses. "Do you, Derek Morgan promise to find time to be alone with me at least once a week? Well, maybe once a month would be more realistic during the first year of baby Morgan's life," she shrugged.

"I do," Derek agreed. "And do you, Emily Morgan, promise to spend quality time alone with me whenever we can?"

Emily smiled. "I do."

They sealed their new vows with another tender kiss.

* * *

**End**


	87. Prayer

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Prayer**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Campbell slowly clomped down the stairs beside a sweatpants-clad Derek, the two of them spilling into the dining area. A floor lamp in the living room didn't shed much light on the rectangular table where Morgan found his wife seated. The only other light source in the area came from the glowing LED screen of her laptop, which she was hunched over. Finding her awake in the middle of the night was a surprise since she'd been turning in early and sleeping in late for the last few weeks. The bowl of chocolate ice cream in front of her was also a new sight. And as he inspected a little closer, Derek had to laugh. "Isn't ice cream and pickles kind of cliché pregnancy food?"

She glanced up from the screen, licking the last bit of chocolate ice cream from her spoon. "But it's so yummy," Emily replied.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, nose crinkled, not as convinced as she seemed to be. Morgan stood beside Emily and kissed her cheek, steering clear of her ice cream and pickle breath. "And what does the baby think about that combo?" he asked, reaching down to run a hand over her slightly swollen belly.

"So far, so good," Emily replied cheerily. "Hello, second trimester," she grinned, popping the last bite of pickle into her mouth.

Morgan looked to Campbell, shrugging his shoulders. The dog lowered his head and curled up on the floor at Emily's feet. "Are you coming back to bed any time soon?" Derek asked, glancing over her shoulder at the computer. "What could you possibly be doing at this hour, other than having cravings?"

"I woke up hungry and worried about money," she revealed. "That's why I'm making a baby budget and a list," she pointed to her laptop screen. "We're going to need a lot of things, a crib, sheets, blankets, bottles for when I go back to work, car seat, stroller, a diaper service…" she rattled off. "And that's just to get us started."

"Diaper service?" Derek questioned. "Can't you just buy those at any store?"

Emily chuckled. "Disposable diapers, yes. But I've been thinking we should do cloth diapers," she watched his brow furrow. "It's not so bad. Also, environmentally friendly. You fold them into these diaper sleeve thingies that have Velcro, so it's not like we have to use pins or anything. This isn't the dark ages of parenting."

He grinned. "Okay, I could probably learn how to do cloth diapers. But diapers aside I think we're doing all right financially, even now that I'm fully unemployed," Derek hoped to ease some of her worries. "We sign the contract for the Annandale house on Tuesday, and we're making the down payment with the equity from the last property I flipped, which has been gaining interest for over three years. And I'm confident I can flip the new place by the end of the year before the baby comes."

"I know you have a plan and it's a good plan, I have faith in you," Emily assured him. "But I also know the universe likes to throw things at us occasionally, like extra children and pets, and have you seen the ER bill we finally got after all these weeks?" she brandished the six page printout they'd received a few days ago. "Dr. Jake was very nice, but me thinks he's driving some ritzy car with the kind of charges I found on this bill. Insurance covers most, but still…"

"Yes, it's steep," he acknowledged. "But I don't regret that we went."

Emily smiled, setting the bill back on the table. "Neither do I, but it all has to be factored in."

"Well, we do have savings, Em," Derek chimed in again, attempting to be the voice of reason. "And you have your trust fund, right? If anything major comes up, you can always use that," he suggested. "Don't you know I married you for your money?" Morgan winked playfully.

Her head shook, trying to hide her amusement in regard to his silly behavior. "I actually used a lot of that trust money for Anna's medical bills, which my parents want to pay me back for. But I keep telling them not to," she let him know. "And I'd like to save the rest of it for the kids. For college or sports, summer camp, whatever extras they might need or want."

"I thought your parents were paying for all schooling, including college," Morgan pointed out.

She sighed, leaning back in her chair and abandoning her laptop as both hands rested against her stomach. "Yes, they are. I don't even know why I'm so worried about money all of a sudden. Possibly just another pregnancy perk that nobody tells you about," Emily shrugged.

Derek kissed the top of her head and reached out to close her laptop. Then he took her left hand in his. "You need to stop worrying and come back to bed," he implored, gently tugging her arm until she got to her feet. Campbell jumped up at the same time, walking with them as they turned off the living room light and headed back upstairs.

After Emily brushed her teeth, a task she could finally perform again without wanting to gag, she joined Derek in bed. The dog settled down on the bed with his human friends. Emily listened to Campbell's panting breath and could feel Derek's heartbeat beneath his chest where her head rested. "I'm worried about tomorrow, too," she revealed. "This conference with Ellie's teacher seems odd, doesn't it? She didn't say why she wanted to see us, and it's the last week of school."

"I'm sure it's not a big deal," Morgan brushed off her concern, one hand massaging her neck. "This is Ellie we're talking about here. What trouble could she possibly get into?"

"Don't say that," Emily pressed a finger against his lips. "When you say things like that you invite trouble in," she warned.

He kissed her finger and then her lips. "Stop worrying," Derek reiterated while his hands moved to her hips and then slid down her thighs. "It's not good for you or the baby," he whispered, placing small kisses along her bare shoulder. She rolled toward him, seeming open to the reciprocation of his actions. "Is there any chance this new craving phase of pregnancy has been accompanied by a heightened sex drive?" Morgan questioned, brows arched in a hopeful manner.

"The flood gates have opened," she whispered a confirmation.

xxx

Emily walked with Derek through the school. It was hard to forget that they'd been there almost exactly a year ago, when they'd interviewed some of Michelle's friends, when they'd been so frightened they might never see the girl again. Michelle's back-to-school night last fall, and the parent-teacher conference before Christmas break, had helped quell some of those memories. But now they had a second child's educational needs to worry about as they approached Ellie's fifth grade classroom.

It being the last week of school, the kids were all in the gymnasium for a field day consisting of games and a pizza party. That left the classroom empty for their conference. They were greeted at the door by a woman they'd met only very briefly before; Ms. Blankenship. Emily hated to make snap judgments, but the woman, younger than herself or Derek, seemed rather old-fashioned and stodgy. Their impression this time was not much different as the teacher jumped right into the conversation.

"I fear Elizabeth may not be a good fit for St. Ann's," she stated. "She rarely participates in class discussions, which is mandatory. And she's recently become disruptive. I've caught her, on more than one occasion, laughing with her fellow students while I was giving a lesson."

"First of all, her name is Ellie," Emily was quick to react.

Ms. Blankenship looked down her nose at them. "According to school documents on record, her legal name is Elizabeth," the woman noted. "We are instructed to use the children's legal names," she informed them.

"Well, maybe you could make an exception in this case?" Emily tried to keep her tone civil, though the woman was already rubbing her the wrong way. "Ellie's mother died just hours after giving birth, so her father named her after her mother. But she's always been called Ellie, by her father, her aunt, and all her teachers in California. I don't see what the big deal is about a name. And frankly, I don't see how she could possibly be of any trouble in your class. She's the quietest kid I know and always does what's asked," Emily concluded.

"This is not California," the teacher replied. "Perhaps their rules are a bit lax, but here we instill properness. As for Elizabeth's behavior, she wrote this for an assignment last week and it's not to be tolerated," Ms. Blankenship shoved a slip of paper across the desk to them.

Derek picked it up and read it aloud. "Hail Mary, full of grace, please let Marty make it to home base."

"The children were assigned to write a prayer for a loved one," the teacher spoke again. "Most of my students followed the assignment perfectly, praying for their sick grandparents, or for good grades on their final report cards, and even for silly things such as a new bike or a summer trip to the beach. But this lyrical monstrosity that Elizabeth wrote, which clearly uses that absurd baseball analogy in regard to… to… well, you know…"

"Sex," Emily had no problem saying the word. She even somewhat delighted in the way the prudish teacher cringed upon the use of it. "Ellie is eleven years old and one of the kindest, gentlest souls I have ever known. I seriously doubt she was inferring anything sexual in this prayer," Emily motioned to the paper in Derek's hand. "Do you know that Marty is a dear family friend; a boy whose life I helped save?" Emily asked. "He plays baseball and we go to watch him play occasionally. I believe Ellie literally was writing about him hitting a home run, but base happens to rhyme better with grace," she concluded.

Ms. Blankenship shrugged. "Perhaps it was innocent. But it doesn't okay her rowdy behavior in class or her inability to participate."

"I doubt it's an inability," Emily jumped to the girl's defense again. "She's shy and still relatively new to the school, but we'll certainly talk to her about that. And I thank you for bringing it to our attention," it pained her to thank the woman after her earlier comments, but Emily stayed cool.

"And her disruptive laughter?" the teacher persisted.

"We'll have to discuss that with her as well," Emily agreed. "But I'm sure there's a simple explanation."

"Perhaps," Ms. Blankenship softened her tone just a little. "I know that you have another child in the school, Michelle, a fourth grader. She'll be in my classroom this fall. I expect your parenting skills will have improved by then and reflect soundly in the younger girl."

Emily rested one hand protectively against her belly, but the fingers of her other hand curled into a fist. She felt Derek's hand clasp around that fist in an attempt to calm her. "I'm sure you won't have any issues with Michelle," Emily ground the words out as she turned away from the teacher and headed toward the door with Derek's hand still wrapped around hers as they entered the hall. "Ugh!" she exclaimed when they were a fair distance from the classroom. "Can you even believe she'd say such things to us?"

"It did seem a little harsh," Morgan agreed.

They were both still pondering the encounter when Principal Davies approached them, her looming presence softened a little by a welcoming smile. "Mr. and Mrs. Morgan," she greeted merrily, always glad to see them in a context other than the one a year ago while they'd been searching for Michelle. "Sorry I'm late; we just held an awards ceremony in the gym. You'll be happy to know your girls received a few."

"That is nice to know," Derek nodded.

"I'm surprised Ms. Blankenship approved of any awards for Ellie," Emily commented.

Davies smiled, though it was somewhat restrained. "I take it your conference with Ms. Blankenship didn't go very well?"

Morgan shrugged. "It was strained," he replied, being somewhat kind in the recounting.

"She is a bit old fashioned in the manner her classroom is run," Davies honestly admitted. "But she's a very good teacher," the principal defended. "We treat the sixth through eighth grades like more of a middle school setting, which can be a hard transition for some. But Ms. Blankenship prepares them quite well."

"For what, military academy?" Emily asked.

"In Ellie's case I do believe she's been a bit hard on the girl," the principal revealed. "I reviewed the prayer and talked to Ellie myself. She insisted it was purely about baseball and I believe her. Ellie has done amazingly well in her studies, but from what little I've observed she's quiet and doesn't participate as much I'd we'd like. I imagine there's still an adjustment period going on, though," she allowed for some leeway, where as Blankenship had not.

Emily bit her lip, hoping not to let any more snappy remarks fly out of her mouth. "Did Ellie mention anything about laughing in class?" she asked.

"She did," Davies nodded. "Apparently she told a few jokes which the other kids found funny, and it made her feel like she fit in. I explained that wasn't acceptable, at least when it interfered with class. She understood," the woman continued. "I'm sorry Ms. Blankenship called you two out here for this. It should have been handled between her, Ellie and I. But I do appreciate you caring enough to make the trip. And we'd really like to see Ellie and Michelle back next year," she let them know.

"Thank you," Emily replied, truly grateful. "We appreciate your time and concern."

xxx

Derek slid into the front seat of his SUV and glanced over to see Emily with a small pout affixed to her lips. "That was pretty impressive," he said.

"What?" she drew her focus away from the dashboard and stared at him.

"The way you turned into mama bear back there with Ms. Blankenship, the principal, too," Morgan replied. "You really love Ellie. It was evident in the way you defended her."

"Of course I love her," Emily replied, shooting him a look that let him know he should never doubt that. "More than anything I know what it's like being the new kid in school. I had so many teachers and students judge me that I've grown pretty intolerable of it. I just never want Ellie to feel like an outsider."

He found that admirable, but probably unlikely. "Emily, kids are undoubtedly going to feel like an outsider at some point during their school years. But we've given her a stable home and a school that she'll hopefully attend for the next three years."

Emily scoffed. "I'm having doubts about the school. I don't know if I want Michelle to have to endure Ms. Blankenship next year."

He couldn't help laugh at her comment. "Personally, I think Michelle can handle her," Derek nodded confidently. "At least Principal Davies is on our side. And, who knows, maybe Ms. Blankenship will find a new job by the time fall rolls around."

She finally smiled at that. "We can only hope."

"Honestly, we can't protect our kids from everything, Emily. They need to learn how to stand on their own and endure difficult teachers. That's called living your life. And I want the girls to stay here," he spoke seriously. "I think it's a good school, and I want them to have that stability of staying in one place for a while."

"I agree," Emily replied softly, her eyes focusing on the dashboard again, one hand rubbing her belly.

Derek regarded her for a moment, not making a move to start the vehicle. "Why do I get the feeling you've moved on to the next item on your worry list?"

Her head rose, catching the concerned look he was throwing her way. She sometimes hated how well he knew her. "We both want what's best for our kids, don't we?" Emily asked.

"Absolutely," he replied.

"I've been thinking about having an amniocentesis done," Emily revealed. "To find out if there's anything wrong with the baby. There's also a quad screen test they usually do at about eighteen weeks, a blood test. But I think doing both will give us the best idea of what to expect."

Morgan breathed out slowly, carefully considering what she'd just said. "Honestly, Emily…" he searched for the right words, not wanting to belittle her fears or desires. "My personal preference on the matter is that we hope for the best and take whatever child we're given; love it and help guide it in every way possible despite whatever disadvantages it may have."

"I want to believe that everything is going to be fine, I really do," she replied. "But I'd also prefer to have some factual knowledge in my parental arsenal, as well as faith."

His right hand sought out her left. "I assume there are risks involved in this sort of test?"

"A few, but the procedure is much more common these days," she quickly tried to allay his fears, because she'd been experiencing the same ones. "From all that I've read, and what Dr. Maygra tells me, the risk is actually pretty minimal. And it's something I really want to do," she repeated. "I don't want to go into this blindly."

"All right," he nodded, seeing that she was unlikely to back down on the matter. "Then we should do the test," Derek agreed, trusting her. "But, for the record, I'm sure it's only going to reassure us that our baby boy is perfectly healthy and normal." He shrugged and flashed a crooked smile her way. "Whatever the heck normal means."

Emily didn't care much about his normal comments, focusing on something else all together. "You said, our boy?"

"It's going to be a boy," Derek proclaimed.

"I really hate to burst your bubble," Emily said as rays of morning sun beamed through the windshield, warming their faces. "But I had a very detailed dream the other night about the baby being a girl," she told him. "So, I'm afraid your desire for a boy just isn't in the cards."

He shook his head. "I hate to burst _your_ bubble, but dreams don't determine a baby's gender," Morgan pointed out.

"Oh, and father's do?"

"Actually, yes they do, genetically speaking."

She chuckled, amused by how serious he was taking their conversation. But, if she admitted the truth to herself, she was taking it very seriously as well. "That's not what I meant. You can't just claim it's going to be a boy without proof," Emily clarified. "And I have motherly instinct on my side, not to mention the baby hormones to back it up."

"Well, no offense, Em, but I _can_ claim it's a boy. And I have. Call it a _fatherly_ intuition thing," he shot back at her, though not in a nasty manner at all. "It'll be perfect. We'll have two girls and one boy. That's how I grew up, and it'll be how our son will grow up, too."

"Or," she pointed her index finger into the air. "Our daughter will grow up with two older sisters, because we'll have three girls," Emily stood her ground.

"Would you care to make a wager on this?" Derek challenged. "Put your money where your mouth is?" he suggested, drawing their casual disagreement into uncharted territories. "If I'm right, you have to buy our baby boy a football."

Her eyes rolled for several different reasons. "You seriously want to make a bet in regard to the gender of our baby?" Emily was a little disgusted, but more so by the fact that he wanted to ply their son with sports items from the get-go. But the more she thought about it, the more she started coming around to the idea. "Fine, we can make a bet. And if I'm right you have to buy the baby a book," she proposed.

"What kind of book?" he asked.

"Does it matter?" she countered. "If you're so sure it's going to be a boy then you shouldn't have anything to worry about," Emily grinned. "But you have seen me play poker with Reid, right? I don't often lose," she reminded him. "So, do we have a bet, or not?"

"We certainly do," Derek nodded. "There's a first time for everything, even you losing. So, may the best _man_ win," he winked.

"The best _woman_ will," she agreed.

* * *

**End**


	88. Book

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Book**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek skillfully maneuvered his electric sander along the oak staircase riser, back and forth with the grain until the section of hard wood was smooth as a baby's bottom. Then he moved on to the tread above the riser, getting caught up in the hypnotic task. He was nearly done with that section when he noticed movement out of the corner of his left eye. Derek hit the kill switch on the sander and turned to find his wife standing at the bottom of the stairs. She was looking up at him through the balusters of the handrail.

"Hey," he pulled off his face mask and clapped his hands together in order to rid them of some of the dust clinging to his skin. "You surprised me."

"Sorry," she spoke softly, eyes carefully inspecting the finite work he'd been doing on the stairs. "This looks better all ready," Emily remarked.

"Thanks," he replied, getting the feeling something wasn't quite right. Her soft voice and distant eyes caused him a pang of worry. Morgan descended the stairs. "Let's go into the kitchen where there's less dust," he pointed down the hall. "It's not good for you or the baby to be breathing this crap in," he warned.

She walked with him, silently at first until a few words formed. "I didn't mean to interrupt your work," Emily apologized as they entered the small kitchen, which had been made much cheerier since Derek's handiwork had lightened and brightened the space.

He smiled. "You're never an interruption," Derek assured her as he went to the sink to wash his hands. Minutes later he returned to his wife's side, pulling her close for a quick kiss. "I just wasn't expecting you back from Sacramento until later today."

"We found Marissa early this morning," Emily's words were practically a whisper as she pressed her backside against the newly re-finished cabinets.

Morgan stood in front of her, taking her hands. "I'm guessing that means the case didn't end well?" he asked cautiously, recalling the conversation they'd had the night before. Emily had phoned him from her hotel room in Sacramento shortly after midnight. She'd given him a condensed rundown of the abduction case and the probability of finding the fourteen year old girl alive, which had been unlikely to say the least.

Emily's head shook. "He slit her throat," she gulped. "We found her behind a restaurant this morning, naked, tossed aside like… garbage."

"I'm sorry, Em," his sympathy was genuine, having been there so many times before, usually with her.

"It's worse now," Emily spoke softly again. "Having kids and doing this job. Before it was pretty horrible, but now…" she sighed. "When I looked at Marissa all I could see were Ellie and Michelle." Her chest rose and fell with a shaky breath. "At least he left a clue that helped us find him," she shrugged.

Morgan kissed her again and wrapped his arms around her. Despite the dustiness of his clothing he wanted to be closer. However, her belly was making closeness a little more difficult with each passing week. He rested a hand against her eighteen-week-pregnant belly, always delighting in the feel of their child even though he couldn't feel the baby moving yet. His eyes took in her appearance, which was certainly not her normal state of perfect attire and coif. "Em, whatcha wearing?" he asked.

Looking down at the plain white t-shirt, Emily suddenly became embarrassed. "I had to borrow this from Rossi, because apparently I forgot to pack my go bag with bigger clothing since the last trip. And I've gotten bigger. Much bigger," she lamented.

"So, you were wandering around Sacramento in Rossi's t-shirt for two days?" Derek frowned.

"Well, it's not like I really had time to hop over to the mall and pick up a frilly maternity dress," she snapped. "Plus it was better than asking Hotch. And Reid's skinnier than I am." Emily lifted the shirt a little to reveal her pants in a state of half-closure. "I had to pin these because I'm huge, and I don't have anything that fits anymore, not even at home. I can't even chase UnSubs anymore, which makes me feel like a useless profiler in the field. And I have that amnio test tomorrow, which I'm having second thoughts about. The quad screen came back normal and you heard Dr. Maygra tell us that ninety percent of normal results lead to perfectly healthy babies, so… I'm confused." She took a very brief breath before continuing her rant. "And I miss the girls. And I want a peanut butter sandwich with onions," she concluded.

He tried not to laugh, knowing she was on the verge of tears; another pregnancy perk that he hadn't gotten used to yet. "I'm sure Hotch doesn't think you're useless," Derek said, his hands smoothing over her t-shirt, not caring anymore about whom it belonged to. "That brilliant mind of yours can catch an UnSub just as well as your legs," he further attempted to quell some of her emotional tirade. "I know we have bread and peanut butter at home, but we'll probably need to stop by the store for an onion," Derek shuddered at little at the thought of that combo. "And the girls called last night. They love camp, but they miss you, too."

She smiled just a little. "That's sweet of you to say, but I doubt they miss me."

"They do," Derek insisted. "Apparently they both made you something in their arts and crafts class. But don't tell them I told you, it's meant to be a surprise." He found her crying upon hearing those words. "Hey…" Derek kissed her again. "They'll be home in a few weeks."

"I know," Emily sniffed. "But you didn't say I wasn't huge."

Derek was confused for half a second before he finally recalled the earlier part of her lament. "Emily, you… well, you've gained a few pounds. But I'd say that's probably okay considering you're having a baby," he pointed out. "You're not huge, though. In fact, I think you look just as beautiful as the day we met. Maybe even more so."

"You're still being sweet," she sucked down tears, silently cursing her emotional roller coaster of hormones. "Probably because you don't want to talk about the test tomorrow."

Morgan sighed. That was another issue in her rant that he'd glossed over. He'd agreed that she should have the test done, but he still didn't much care for the idea. And he was worried about the risk of the procedure even though it was small. "We've been over it several times the last six weeks; you already know how I feel about this. It's up to you whether or not we go tomorrow. But you know I will be at your side if you want," he assured her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "And we can go shopping for some new clothes afterward."

"I'll have to rest for at least twenty-four hours after the test," Emily reminded him, though she was touched by his offer.

He nodded. "Then we'll go shopping on Saturday," he kissed her cheek. "We can buy you some cute stuff that says baby on board with a down-pointing arrow, maybe in a nice pastel pink color, or minty green," Derek teased.

"You're funny, a real comedian," she dryly replied, her tears dissipating. But the chuckle that worked its way out of her mouth betrayed her true feelings. Emily loved that he could always dig her out of a depressive hole. "I happen to like pink, any shade. So, there," she nearly stuck her tongue out at him, but settled for another gentle kiss.

"I got you to laugh, and smile," he noticed, his thumb caressing her bottom lip. "I'd say my work here is done."

"I hope so," Emily grinned. "Because I have a job for you to perform at home," she winked suggestively.

xxx

They arrived for the amnio appointment at 9am the next morning and, true to his word, Derek stood beside Emily as the two of them watched the doctor carefully slide the ultrasound transductor over her belly. Morgan marveled at the view of their baby. It was so much bigger than when they'd seen it over two months ago. And it actually looked like a baby, not just a jellybean. There were arms, legs, fingers and facial features. "That is an arm, right?" Derek asked, pointing to the screen.

"It is," doctor Maygra confirmed. She'd agreed to perform the procedure for them, having done it many times over the years for other expectant and worried parents. "And it looks like we've got a good clear area up here," she pointed out on screen where she planned to make the insertion. "Are you ready, Emily?"

"Yeah," Emily nodded. "Yes, I am," she added more assuredly.

"Then I want you to just relax and breath normally," Maygra instructed as the nurse assisting her cleaned Emily's rounded stomach in preparation for the needle insertion.

Derek watched everything with a keen eye, holding Emily's hand and imagining that her tight grasp would be about ten times worse when she went into labor. He remained rapt by the image of their baby on the screen. And he stayed as quiet as possible while the needle was produced by the nurse. It seemed much bigger than when Maygra had showed them a week ago as they'd gone through the procedure step by step. Emily squeezed his hand a little more as the needle was inserted.

She sucked in a sharp breath and let it out, trying to keep her breathing as normal as possible. It didn't hurt so much, just a slight sting like that of a regular shot as it pierced her flesh. And she'd never been afraid of needles before, but her nerves were causing her breaths to come slightly faster than normal. The idea of that long needle invading her baby's sanctuary was more than a little disturbing to her. Emily watched the screen for a short time, but then turned her gaze to Derek, choosing to focus on him instead as the fluid was being withdrawn. Moments later the needle was withdrawn with another small sting, but Emily barely noticed it.

"That's it?" she asked as the nurse gently wiped her belly again and placed a small bandage over the insertion point.

"All done," Maygra confirmed. "At least your part. Now the fluid goes off to the lab, fetal cells are separated and cultivated then tested. Just like we discussed before. It can take up to a few weeks time for results, but I'll be sure to contact you as soon as they're in," she assured them.

"I was reading something the other day," Derek spoke up. "About this test being able to tell us the baby's gender."

Maygra nodded. "It can, but that's not typically something we use the test for, specifically. However, if you'd really like to know, I had a very good view of your baby's genitalia the whole time I was performing the test," she replied. "It was actually quite obvious."

"You did?" Emily asked. "It was?" she'd been trying to decipher anything other than head and arms, but had come up blank.

"Obvious meaning…" Morgan looked to the doctor for further detail.

The doctor glanced between the two of them. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Emily eyed Derek. "We do have a bet riding on it," she reasoned, suddenly feeling anxious for some reason.

"It could be settled right now," Derek added.

"Is that a yes, or a no?" the OB asked, trying not to laugh at the way they seemed to be dancing around the issue. "I'm very good at keeping close-mouthed about these details if that's what you want. A lot of parents still want to be surprised. So, whatever you choose," she left the decision up to them.

"No," Emily said.

"Yes," Derek spoke at nearly the same time.

A soft chuckle came from the doctor, having heard similar disagreements from many parents. "Well, the information is in my head. So, why don't you take a few minutes, get dressed, and if you decide you want to know I'll be in my office. I still have a few minutes until my next appointment," she concluded before making her exit.

"How come you don't want to know?" Morgan asked as he helped Emily to her feet and remained a source to be leaned upon as she dressed. "Are you afraid you might lose the bet?"

She smiled at that. "No, I just… I don't know," Emily shrugged as she pulled her stretchy yoga pants up; the only pants she had left that fit.

"That answer isn't going to fly with me," Derek replied, never letting her get away with the I-don't-know shrug she was famous for.

Her shirt, which was one of Derek's t-shirts today, was pulled down over her belly and hung just below the line of her pant's waistband. She really did need some new clothes. But first she needed to be completely honest with her husband. "I'm afraid that if I know one way or the other it's going to feel ten times more real to me," Emily answered. "And then it will be even worse if we get bad news about this test," she finally revealed.

Derek looked her in the eye as they walked toward the door. "Is finding out this baby's gender going to make you love it any less?" he asked. "Or is finding out if it has some sort of medical problem going to make you love it any less?"

"No," her answer came swiftly and forcefully.

"Then what's the harm in finding out?" he suggested.

Emily gave her okay in the form of a nod and the nurse let them know it was okay to knock on Dr. Maygra's door. The two of them stood in the open doorway. "We'd like to know the baby's gender," Emily said with a look of anticipation.

The doctor smiled, hoping her news would be welcome and happy. "It's a boy."

xxx

Emily sat with her back straight, hands resting against her belly. "I don't think I want to know," she spoke quietly from her chair in front of Dr. Maygra's desk. She glanced to the man sitting in the chair beside her. Derek turned to her with curious eyes. The last two weeks of their lives had been far from normal, the two of them barely seeing each other more than seventy-two hours out of the whole fourteen days. She'd been on a record number of cases with the BAU while Derek occupied himself for hours on end at the house he was working on, sometimes even taking Campbell along and staying several nights in a row.

Without Emily and the girls at home Derek felt like a bachelor again. And he didn't much care for it. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean… if there's a problem with the baby," Emily sighed, rubbing her hand in a circular motion over her belly. "I don't want to know," she breathed out.

His eyes narrowed, brow furrowed. "This is what you wanted, Em," Derek countered. "You told me you wanted to be informed, no matter what the news was; good or bad."

"I know what I said," and now she lamented the fact she'd ever said it. "But that was before I knew, before the baby was a _he_," she pointed out.

Derek couldn't help smile at the thought of the child being a boy, the confirmation of his hunch. It was what he'd been hoping for, but he also worried, because it wasn't what Emily had been hoping for. "It's been two and a half weeks, Em, and you've barely made any sort of comment about the baby being a boy until now."

"I've been busy with work, worried about the test results, and we're going to pick up the girls tomorrow at camp," she rattled off the list. "There's just a lot on my mind."

"And you really had your heart set on a girl, didn't you? You're disappointed." Derek had been thrilled by the news, but he hadn't gloated about it, because Emily seemed rather dismal about the topic. At least she'd never mentioned it aside from a passing reference.

"No," the word shot out of her mouth, both hands still resting on her belly where she'd yet to feel a real kick. There were flutters here and there, but she was never sure if it was the baby or just indigestion. It was hard to decipher, not knowing what to expect. "I'm not disappointed," Emily felt bad they he would even think such a thing. "I just… I honestly have no idea what I'm going to do with a baby boy; with a son. And I also feel like a bad mother because my instincts were completely wrong. You knew it was a boy all along, and you're the one wanting to stay home and take care of him while I want to keep working and…"

"Hey, stop that," Morgan used a stern voice with her, though he wasn't upset at all. "Don't ever say you're a bad mother, because that's not true at all," he continued. "You went through that amnio like a pro, and you did it because you wanted to know everything possible in case there was an issue. You wanted to be prepared for that event. And you've been worried endlessly about the baby and money and everything under the sun. That makes you a terrific mother in my eyes. As for the boy business, just think about having a miniature version of me running around," he grinned cheekily. "That wouldn't be so bad, would it?"

She smiled at his suggestion, letting the idea sink into her head for the first time. "I guess not," Emily replied. "If this little guy is half as thoughtful and loving as you then I'll be very blessed. But I might need to read up on football," she noted. "A lot."

"Watch him end up wanting to play the piano and chess with little or no sports interest," Derek chuckled.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Emily replied.

"No," Morgan agreed. "But if it does turn out that way I may want a paternity test to find out what you and Reid have been up to."

Emily's laughter sprang from her lips with great amusement. She rubbed her belly again. "Sorry, buddy, I think he discovered our little secret. But don't worry, daddy Spencer will treat you right," she joked. Emily grabbed one of Derek's hands and brought it to rest against her stomach. "He's my son, _our_ son… and I love him, Derek. I already love him so much. He's perfect in my eyes, no matter how worried I am about him being a boy. But what if there's something wrong?"

"Then we'll be informed," he replied. "This _is_ what you wanted, and now you have to be brave enough to find out the truth."

Seconds later they were interrupted by the opening and closing of the door. Dr. Maygra entered, crossed the room, sat down and delivered the news quickly. "The genetic testing did not reveal any indication of abnormalities," she revealed.

For over two weeks Emily had been on edge with constant worry about the test results, but now her heart was beating rapidly due only to her immense relief. "You're sure?" she questioned. "Nothing at all?"

"As you know, an amnio only detects about forty different abnormalities," the female doctor reported, words she'd informed them of before, but which bared repeating. "And there are at least four hundred types of known birth defects. But, given your results, I'd say your baby is going to be born perfectly healthy. That's a good thing," she noted, glad to be delivering such happy news to them. "You can relax now, pick out names, decorate the nursery and wait for your lives to change drastically," Maygra chuckled.

Morgan sprang to his feet and shook the doctor's hand. "Thank you," he beamed with genuine gratitude.

The news took a little longer for Emily to digest, all her worry needing to suddenly vacate her head and heart. Some remained, of course, but as she got to her feet and took Maygra's hand in hers, a great deal of it did fly away. "Thank you," she echoed Derek's sentiment.

xxx

Later that night, their last night alone before the girls returned from camp, Emily grabbed a large paper bag and carried it toward their bed where Derek was lounging. She sat the bag on the bed and kneeled against the mattress with a smile upon her face that was both amused and chagrined. "You won the bet, so I've finally come to make good on it," Emily spoke as she reached into the bag with the Sporting Goods store logo on the front. "Here," she handed over a ball still wrapped in the manufacturer's packaging.

Derek took the item from her and his eyes narrowed in inspection mode. The ball was small, round and white with red stitching. "Em, you do know this is not a football. Don't you?"

"It isn't?" she made a show of being surprised. "Are you sure?" Emily tried to keep up the ruse but a smile betrayed her.

"You're pulling my leg, right?" he grinned, tearing open the baseball package. Derek held the ball in his right hand, testing its weight and sniffing it. "Pretty nice, but most definitely not a football," he informed her.

She chuckled. "Yes, I know that's a baseball, and this," Emily pulled another item out of the bag. "Is a soccer ball," she handed over the black and white patterned ball, which was several times larger than the baseball. "Although, in many European countries _that_ is known as a football," she pointed to the soccer ball. "But this one…" Emily finally pulled an American football out of her bag. "Is your prize for being right," she handed it off to him with a quick kiss. "I just thought junior should have a choice."

Morgan abandoned the other two balls and grasped the football, his fingers taught against the synthetic laces. Memories of tossing a similar ball with his father bombarded his mind. As well as those of playing ball in the dirt field across from the Upward Youth Center with his high school buddies. And his freshman year at Northwestern before he'd damaged his knee. As well as the night he'd tossed a ball with James Barfield while letting the boy know he understood more than James could've imagined.

He smiled appreciatively. "I agree. The baby should have choices in his life." Derek sat the ball down next to the other two. Then he reached over the side of the bed, letting his right arm grope beneath their bed. He finally grasped the item he'd been looking for and brought it up, presenting it to his wife. "I bought him a book," Derek revealed, placing it on her lap.

"You did?" Emily was a little surprised but mostly touched, especially when she noticed what kind of book it was. It was a large book, about 8x8, with a blue and white cover and a little baby cradle in the center. The words: _Baby's First Years_, were embossed in a darker blue thread across the bottom. Inside, Emily found pages filled with blanks to be filled in. Family tree, baby's name, date of birth, first words, first tooth, and a plethora of other milestones to be documented. "This is great," she thanked him.

His lips met with hers, softly at first; a sweet kiss of reciprocation for the gifts they'd given one another. But then the union became more passionate, needy. The baseball, soccer ball and football got pushed off the bed, falling away, rolling away; discarded for the time being. Even the precious baby book that Derek had lovingly picked out for his wife was dropped to the carpeted floor without a second thought. Their cloths soon followed, tossed aside without a care. And their bodies locked, kissing, caressing, tasting and touching the way they'd done so many times before. Except every time they performed the dance it was new, reaffirming their love.

A puff of breath pushed past Derek's lips when they were done, bodies still melted against one another. His hands splayed across her belly, gently probing, hoping for some small sign of life within. "Tomorrow we get to tell Ellie and Michelle the big news," Derek spoke softly against her stomach and was rewarded with a soft tapping sensation. "Did you feel that?"

"I did," Emily's eyes lit. It was still mostly a flutter to her, which made it all the more shocking that Derek had experienced the stirring from the outside. "I'm surprised you did, it's still kind of early," she remarked, holding as still as possible in the hopes that they both might feel it again.

"I definitely felt something," Derek whispered, completely awed. "I felt our little boy." His hands remained close, also hoping for an encore.

Emily thought her smile might permanently crack her face as she watched Derek carefully stroke along the underside of her belly, waiting with anticipation for another baby movement. Her hand smoothed along Derek's closely manicured head. "Still don't know what the heck I'm gonna do with a little boy," she whispered.

"Love him," Derek suggested with a happy grin as he felt another small tap from their baby.

"That part will be easy," she agreed with a nod.

* * *

**End**


	89. Bunny

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

**Spoilers for episode 6x18, _Lauren_...**

* * *

**Bunny**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily found it on her desk Monday morning, the day after Easter. A foil-wrapped chocolate bunny. It made her smile. But it also caused her to become reflective.

She hadn't celebrated the holiday much over the course of her life. There'd been the requisite mass attendance on Easter Sunday as a child, along with Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and everything in between. But her parents had never given her a basket filled with chocolate and jellybean treats, and only once had she participated in an egg hunt. That had only been because she was visiting her grandfather in the French Alps at the time. He'd hidden a few of his chicken's eggs for her to find, though they hadn't been dyed.

But, as she starred down at the bunny on her desk at the BAU, Emily felt a pang of longing. She wished for all those Easter holidays back so she could confront her parents and make them do it up right; commercialism and religious worries be damned. Instead, she was left with only the hollow desire and missed opportunity. It was pretty much the story of her life in regard to so many different things, and most definitely her parents. She sunk onto her rolling chair and fingered a corner of the foil, tempted to rip it open and take a bite.

Her head and eyes lifted a little and found Reid hunkered over his desk, looking intently at a file folder that was flipped open. "Thank you," she spoke just loud enough for him to hear.

"Huh?" Reid glanced her way, but his eyes sparkled with confusion. "What are you thanking me for?" he asked.

She grasped the bunny and held it aloft. "For this."

The young man shrugged with obvious puzzlement. "I didn't give you that," Reid revealed. "I did notice it on your desk earlier when I first came in."

Eyes narrowed in contemplation of his statement, Emily pondered the possibility of it being someone else. It didn't seem likely, though. "But you know I love chocolate," she finally spoke again, suddenly thinking that the BAU's resident genius was just trying to be modest in his gift giving. He, like everyone else at work, had been slow to accept her back into the fold.

"I do," he nodded with a thin-lipped smile. "But it wasn't me," Spencer maintained.

"Then who?" she whispered.

Reid's shoulders rose in a manner that told her he was just as clueless as she. Emily sighed, regarding the item again. Another theory formed in her mind. There was one person who had been extremely vocal about her return to the BAU, in a good way. Garcia had welcomed her back with open arms, no questions asked. It had been a surprise to Emily, but a very appreciated one. The other members of her team, however, had not been as gracious about the fact that she'd faked her death.

As she got to her feet, grasping the bunny in one hand, Emily walked toward the glass door she'd just entered moments ago. She made her way to Penelope's den, all the while allowing memories of the last few months to flood her head. She'd stayed underground for exactly one year before Doyle had finally been caught. And she'd returned to the BAU straight away, wanting her friends to be the first to know she was alive. It hadn't gone exactly to plan, though.

Having JJ and Garcia on her side helped. But, as Emily pushed her way inside the latter's private lair of technology, she had to ask, "Did you do this?" She regarded the younger woman, who was currently blonde again. "Did you leave this on my desk?"

Penelope spun away from her computer monitors and eyed the bunny in her friend's hand. "How sweet," she grinned. "All pun intended. But, no," her head shook.

"Interesting," Emily's chest deflated, more confused than ever. "Thanks, P," she waved the bunny before slipping out of the room just as promptly as she'd come. She wandered back down the wide corridor pondering the matter even further. As much as she had leaned on JJ the past year, Emily was almost certain the woman would not make such a gesture. And she completely ruled out Hotch and Rossi as well, which left only Derek.

Even thinking idly about the man brought a twinge of sorrow to her heart unlike the other members of her team. They'd all become such close friends during her five years with the BAU, but she'd felt more of a kinship with Derek than any of them. Maybe because they'd worked so closely together. Maybe because they shared a love of Vonnegut. Or maybe because the underlying attraction between them had presented itself almost from the very first handshake they'd shared. Of course that was something they'd never dared discuss.

She wasn't afraid to confront him now, though, knocking on his door but not waiting for an answer before marching inside. Emily found him seated at his desk, hard at work on what looked to be a report of their last case. Only her third case since being back with the team, and a difficult one for sure. But she situated all that into a back corner of her mind as she confronted him. "This might sound kind of strange, but…" Emily held the foil bunny up so he could see it. "Did you happen to leave this on my desk by accident?"

"I did leave it there," he easily replied. "But it wasn't an accident. It was meant to be a gift."

The words of his answer actually did very little to solve the bunny mystery for her, because she found herself with a whole list of other questions. But only the most prevalent one managed to slip past her lips. "Why?" Emily asked.

He shrugged. "It's a… sort of an apology," that didn't sound right to him, though. He leaned back against his chair. "I've been kind of rude to you since you returned and I..."

"You don't have to apologize for that," Emily cut him off. "What I did was selfish and I hurt you. I'm sorry," she said, repeating the words she'd told him and the rest of the team several times upon her return. They never seemed like enough, though.

"Emily," his head shook. "What you did was actually the complete opposite of selfish. It's taken me a while to see that, but…" Derek stood and walked around to the front of his desk. He leaned against the edge of the dark wood structure and rested his hands against the surface to brace himself. He looked her in the eye. "I'm the one who's sorry. When you took off after Doyle that first time I doubted you. I realized my mistake too late, and blamed myself for your death…"

"Derek…" she wanted to apologize again. Emily had never apologized so much in her life as she had the last few weeks.

But he stopped her before she could say more. "When you returned I was so pissed at you, but I know that both of those acts were to protect us," he finally acknowledged.

She nodded. "I guess I didn't go about it in the best way."

"Maybe not," Morgan agreed. "I do wish you would've confided in all of us rather than just JJ. But maybe that would have been too dangerous as well."

Emily picked at the foil wrapping on her chocolate bunny, avoiding eye contact. "You never really know what the right decision is until you've made the wrong one. If that makes any sense," she shrugged.

"It does, actually," he assured her. "So, are you gonna eat that or just keep carrying it around with you?" Derek wagged a finger at the bunny. "I guess it is an odd sort of apology. I just figured that Easter was a time for death and resurrection."

"And chocolate bunnies?" she questioned.

"We do live in modern times," Morgan grinned. "You know, it's nice to share things with friends," he added, brows arched. "Feelings, secrets… or even just chocolate."

A smile lit on her face as she listened to his voice. It wasn't the tone she'd been hearing for several weeks since she'd returned; the heavy, thick-with-emotion voice he'd been using around her. It was lighter with a hint of playfulness, like old times. Emily carefully un-wrapped the top part of her chocolate treat realizing just how much she'd missed hearing that tone of voice from him. "Here," she held the bunny out, a peace offering of a silly sort, but very sincere.

His strong fingers broke off the bunny's left ear. "Thank you," Derek said before he took a bite.

She bit off the other ear and savored the taste; sugar and cocoa blended to a creamy perfection. But mostly it tasted like forgiveness.

* * *

**End**


	90. Zero

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

**Spoilers for episode 6x18, _Lauren_...**

* * *

**Zero**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Derek,

I shouldn't be writing this and I have no idea if I'll even send it, but there are so many things I want to say to you, the least of which is that I'm alive. I suppose I really can't send this now since I just revealed that pertinent information. It was my idea to fake my death, and with JJ's help it wasn't all that difficult. Doyle helped, too, by driving that chunk of wood through my stomach and allowing me to disappear behind a hospital curtain.

I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am that I wanted you and Reid, Garcia - my best friends – to believe I'm dead. There really aren't enough words to apologize for that. But maybe someday, if I'm ever allowed to come home, I can try to find at least a few words that will heal this wound I've made. I do have to tell you, I did not walk away unharmed either. And I'm not talking about the physical wounds I sustained.

I have tried very hard to be what the CIA trained me to be, a human weapon, efficient, with zero emotion to cloud my judgment. I'm not sure why I ever thought I could accomplish such a thing. Maybe because I was always good at making myself into whomever others wanted me to be. But I was still never able to school my emotions. And I remember once telling someone that you don't choose who you fall in love with.

I fell in love with Doyle. It wasn't part of the plan, but it helped. And it also complicated the hell out of things. But you already know that bit of the story. And after I was extracted from that case, after I spent weeks and months trying to dissolve those feelings and emotions, I showed up at the BAU. I planned to keep my distance from all of you, because I never wanted to go through what I went through with Doyle again.

I failed.

I know you probably don't have a clue as to the full extent of my failure, and maybe I shouldn't tell you. Maybe it's foolish for me to say it now; to write in this letter I'll never mail. But then, if I never send this to you, what's the harm? My failure is your fault, and Reid, Garcia, JJ, Rossi, even Hotch. All of you became so much more than co-workers to me. I tried to stay hidden, but you all made it so easy for me to open up, for me to feel safe. And that is the one thing I've wanted my whole life, to have someplace I could truly call home.

I felt at home at the BAU.

I also felt most at home when in your presence. That is the truest failure of my zero-emotion training. You. Derek Morgan. The last man on Earth I could have imagined falling for. I tried so hard to keep you at bay. I made the snarkiest comments I could when you made advances that sometimes seemed like more than friendship. Maybe I imagined it all. Maybe not. But I tried to deny it. And I realize what a fool I was to deny the possibility of a lifetime with you.

I really can't send this now.

I just wish so many things had been different. And I hope that someday I will at least be able to look you in the eye again and tell you how much you mean to me. It will probably be much too late. But I still hope to say those words. That hope keeps me going at night when I'm afraid to close my eyes for fear Doyle is about to slit my throat. It comforts me during the day as I walk the streets looking over my shoulder ten times a minute. You are with me wherever I go. As cheesy as that sounds, it lends me a great deal of solace.

I think instead of sending this letter I'll send you a simpler message you might understand just the same. It will have to be anonymous. It will have to be enough. I just pray you'll know who it's from.

Always,

Emily

xxx

Derek sat down at his desk in the small, dimly lit office. He placed his mug of coffee on the desk's surface then reached for the stack of mail in his box. There were the usual items, which he sorted in order of importance and time constraints. Then he opened the last letter-sized envelope in the bunch, curious by its lack of a return address. It seemed to have traveled half a dozen places around the world by the postage markings. But inside was a single slip of paper, and one word that gave him pause.

Always.

He read it, over and over, trying to jog his mind for some reference. Only one came to him. But it seemed silly. That case had confused him, not knowing what to believe. But he'd done his best to be there for his friend. To help her, protect her, and let her know he would always be there for her even if he didn't necessarily agree with her reasons for doing what she'd done. It seemed significant to him. But he knew it couldn't have come from her.

His thoughts drifted to the Doyle case, another point in Emily's life when he'd doubted her, when he'd been uncertain of his feelings in regard to the case and her actions. In the end he'd been there for her. He'd held her hand in that warehouse and then sat in a crowded, over-heated waiting room. And when JJ had delivered the crushing news, when Garcia broke down and Reid lamented not being able to see her, Derek has silently whispered to Emily with zero doubt in his mind that she'd heard the words.

_Always._

_I'll always be your friend._

_I'll always be the idiot who never told you how much he really cared for you._

_I'll always think of you with only the greatest respect. And sincerest love._

Derek folded the paper into a square as small as he could make it. Then he slipped it into the pocket of his slacks and went about sorting the rest of his mail.

* * *

**End**


	91. Boy

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Boy**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily lay sprawled on her bed, clad only in underwear and sports bra as the fan across the room slowly oscillated. But it wasn't blowing nearly enough cool air to satisfy her. Both hands rested upon her swollen belly as she starred at the television. Sweat pooled along her bra line and she sighed in annoyance. Her red, splotchy eyes aimed toward the yellow lab that was curled up at the end of the bed. "I'm going to kill him," she told the dog. "K… I… L…" The bedroom door opened and Emily quickly reached for the sheet that was balled beside her. She tossed it haphazardly across her body then looked up to see her husband walk into the room.

"Hey," Derek greeted her with a smile as he kicked off his work boots.

"Oh, it's just you," Emily mumbled, casting the sheet aside again.

"That wasn't exactly the welcome home I was hoping for after a long day," Morgan grinned again as he crossed over to the bed. He ogled her for a moment. "But the view is nice," he added, quickly stripping down to nothing but navy boxer-briefs, which clung to his sweat-dampened skin. Derek had one knee on the bed when she glared at him, a look that made him second-guess his move to get any closer.

She shook her head. "You're not welcome here."

His hands were held aloft, palms up. "Excuse me?" Derek frowned as his eyes lit on the dog. "So, Campbell is allowed to snuggle with you but not me?"

"Yeah, well, Campbell didn't promise to fix my air conditioning during the hottest month of summer, and then forget," she replied with a snarl. "And Campbell doesn't spend more time at his other house than he does at home with his over-heated, twenty-three-weeks pregnant wife," she concluded, returning her eyes to the TV. "Not that I can really blame you for wanting to stay away," Emily continued. "I have nasty stretch marks, cry at the drop of a hat and bark at you non-stop. I'm nothing but a big, fat, pregnancy cliché," she lamented.

Derek did his level best not to laugh as he bravely climbed into the bed and settled down beside her. "I like your stretch marks," he told her.

"Oh, please," her eyes rolled exaggeratedly.

"Okay, I at least like them more than the crying and barking part of your baby hormone outbursts," he admitted. Derek noticed that her eyes were swollen and red and he felt terrible for letting her down. "I'm really sorry about not getting around to fixing the air conditioning, Em. I got stuck at the other house all evening because of a plumbing issue. But I swear to you, on my life, that I will fix it tomorrow," Morgan vowed. She didn't respond, but he saw a tear slip down her cheek. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, just…" she waved a hand at the TV and used her other to wipe the tear away. "This episode of _The Waltons_… it's that Christmas one when Mary Ellen's husband is killed at Pearl Harbor. Why are they playing a sad Christmas episode in August?" she questioned, though it was clear she didn't expect an answer as she continued. "I didn't even really like her husband; he was always kind of stiff and boring. But it makes me think of Anna."

His confusion level shot upward rapidly. "Pearl Harbor reminds you of Anna?" Derek asked. "Or the stiff, boring husband? Or Christmas?"

"None of the above," she finally chuckled, aiming her eyes at him. "The show. She liked watching _The Waltons_," Emily clarified, recalling the days when she'd sat for hours with her sister watching mindless TV because Anna had been too weak to read or knit or even flip through magazines.

"I thought she liked _Little House on the Prairie_," Derek snuggled even closer, glad that his wife allowed the move without protest. His right hand went straight to her stomach, hoping for more baby movements. Since that first time he'd felt the baby a week ago it had become a favorite pastime of his.

"Yes, she did enjoy that one too," Emily nodded. "But she liked _The Waltons_ more because of their big family, all the kids and parents and grandparents living under one roof. She once told me she and Eric had hoped to have more kids, a whole houseful of them. It just didn't work out for them." One of her hands rested next to Derek's against the ever-expanding frontier of her tummy. "I have no idea how I ended up with all the kids while Anna is dead, not even able to watch her daughter grow up."

Morgan's heart went out to her. He was so glad to be able to share any and all baby news with his mother and sisters. But he knew Emily wished her sister was there to share in the joyous occasion. "You shouldn't feel guilty for it being you," he said, guessing that it was guilt doing most of the talking for her.

"I know," she agreed, lacing her fingers with his. "One of the main reasons I was so set on having a girl is because I wanted to name the baby after Anna. Sometimes when I close my eyes I can see Anna in my head, smiling at me knowingly, like she had a part in this baby coming into existence."

"Well…" Derek grinned even as the heat of the evening was already starting to annoy him too. "I'm pretty sure it was just the two of us in that Paris hotel room," he quipped. His hand rubbed her belly some more and was rewarded with a small movement. Derek was pretty sure the fascination of feeling their child kick would never get old. "But maybe we can name him Andrew, or Anthony, or… I guess neither of those really resembles Anna very well."

Her head shook. "And she wouldn't want us to name the baby after her anyhow," Emily realized as she felt Derek's hands caress the small scars that Margaret's knife had left upon her skin over a year ago. Then he moved on to caress the stretch marks she'd been lamenting earlier. "She'd probably tell me that a baby is a new, individual life that deserves to have its own name. Or something of that sort."

"I think you're right," he smiled, almost able to hear the voice of the woman who'd been like a sister to him as well. "So, have you been thinking about names?"

"A few, but nothing I really like yet," Emily replied. She turned to look him in the eye. "How about your dad's name?" she suggested.

"I thought the baby deserved its own unique name," Derek chuckled at how quickly she'd forgotten.

Emily shrugged, but she didn't get a chance to say anything more on the matter because there was a soft knock on their door. She pulled the sheet up over herself again and Derek also made sure the sheet was drawn to his waist. "Who is it?" Emily asked.

"Us," Michelle replied, pushing the door open wider to reveal herself and Ellie. "Can we come in?"

The girls were both wearing short summer nightgowns but didn't appear to be as flustered by the heat as the adults. "Sure," Derek waved them in.

Michelle hopped onto the bed while her older sister just leaned against the mattress. "Ellie and I want to know what the baby is going to be," the younger girl stated.

"He's a boy," Emily replied with a small bit of concern. "But you already know that. We told you last week when you came home from camp, remember?" The girls had seemed very happy to learn the baby was going to be a boy. Mostly they'd just been glad to know he was healthy. But Emily couldn't help worry now that their views on the matter of having a baby boy join the family had changed in a week's time.

"I know he's a boy," Michelle rolled her eyes in a manner she'd picked up from Emily. "I meant… will he be my cousin, or my brother?" she questioned.

"And will he be my foster brother?" Ellie finally spoke up. "Or will he be my step-brother, or… I don't know," the older girl shrugged with uncertainty.

Derek was impressed by their level of curiosity, and also a little saddened by it. He wished the two girls didn't have to think or worry about such things. So, he decided to make the issue as easy as possible for them. "He'll be whatever you two want him to be," Morgan offered. He felt Emily squeeze his hand in agreement to that declaration.

Michelle turned her head toward Ellie for a second and they shared a look. "Can he be our brother?" she finally asked, staring at her parent's again.

"If you like," Emily easily agreed.

"So, we can tell our friends at school he's our brother, just our brother?" Michelle sought clarification on the important matter. "We wouldn't have to explain anything else to them or to our teachers or anyone? We could just say he's our brother?"

Emily and Derek nodded at the same time. "That's right, you don't have to tell anyone anything other than he's your baby brother," Morgan concluded.

"Good, I like that," Michelle smiled with satisfaction. Ask

"Me, too," Ellie agreed. Her hazel eyes flicked from one adult to the other as she summoned the courage to say something more, something she'd been curious about for a while. "But wouldn't he really be my brother if you adopted me?" the eleven-year-old inquired. "You've never asked to adopt me, though. Maybe you don't want to? Dan and Beth asked a few times, but I never felt like I fit in with them. I feel like this is my home, but you don't ever ask," she repeated, rather unsure of her feelings in regard to the whole subject.

Morgan's heart nearly broke to hear her uncertainty. "We just never wanted you to feel pressured by the adoption issue," he was quick to respond. "You know you can stay with us as long as you'd like without having to make that commitment. It's up to you," he spoke the words, but finally looked to Emily realizing he hadn't included her in that decision. Their wedding vows and the ceremony had included both girls, but they'd never actually sat down to talk about the adoption choice.

"Derek is right," Emily agreed. "You're a part of this family no matter what."

"But…" Ellie chewed on the subject some more. "Michelle is my sister; she has been for a long time. And I want to be the baby's older sister. And the two of you are the baby and Michelle's parents, so…" she was reluctant to say anything more, but pushed herself to reveal the truth. "I want you both to be my parents, too. But I also don't ever want to forget my dad or my aunt," she revealed her dilemma.

"You'll never forget them, kiddo," Derek tried to assure her. "We'd be thrilled to have you as our foster or adopted daughter. But your dad will always be your dad, nothing can change that. Okay?"

Ellie nodded. "Okay."

"Am I adopted?" Michelle asked.

Emily blinked back tears after hearing Ellie's worries. "Well, not officially," she responded to Michelle. "Your mom and grandma Liz had documents drawn up so I'd be your legal guardian when she died. But, no, you're not adopted," she explained.

"Can I be?" Michelle asked. "If Ellie and I were both Morgan's like you and the baby then people would really think we were a family, right?"

"We _are_ a family, chaton," Emily assured the child. "Love already makes us a family. But if adoption and a name will make you feel that even more… both of you," she looked to Ellie as well. "Then we can make that happen."

"How long does it take to be adopted?" Ellie inquired.

Derek shrugged. "I'm not really sure," he honestly replied.

"Do you think it will be before the baby is born?" Michelle looked hopeful.

"I kind of doubt it," Emily answered.

"Hmm," the younger girl pondered it some more. "Maybe Grandma Liz can help, because she knows lots of important people; official people. She knows judges and stuff," Michelle noted, still thinking it all over. "What's the process for being adopted?"

This time Emily and Derek shared a look that let them both know the other didn't have much of a clue. "I imagine someone has to come to our house and make sure it's a good place for you both to live," Derek finally responded. "And they might talk to you guys about it. And I'm sure we'll have to prove that we can afford to take care of you," Morgan glanced at his wife again, seeing if she had anything to add.

"Maybe you and Ellie could do some research about it," Emily suggested.

Both girls jumped at that idea. "Can we start tonight?" Michelle asked. "Can we use the internet?"

"Um…" Derek glanced at the clock and saw that it was still fairly early. "Sure, you can start tonight," he agreed.

"Thanks, dad," Michelle crawled across the bed and gave him a big hug and kiss.

Morgan was amused by the fact that she already called him dad despite the whole adoption issue. He was also pleased by the hug and kiss he received from Ellie. Seeing the older girl so enthusiastic about the subject of adoption really cemented it for him. "I don't want you two on the internet any longer than an hour," Derek said as they rushed to the door. "By then it will be bedtime," he concluded. Campbell leapt off the bed and followed after the girls. When they were gone he turned back to his wife, and found her crying. "Really?"

Emily slapped his arm. "Shut up," she said through her tears. "It's just… they want to be… and… oh, forget it!"

He shook his head at her and then tickled her side, watching her squirm away. "I need some laughter out of you, so it's either this or some really bad knock-knock jokes that the girls learned at camp and taught me earlier this week," he warned, fingers poised above her in tickle attack formation.

That alone got her to smile. "I'll have to go with the jokes, because the tickling is just going to make me sweat some more," she sighed, once again pushing the sheet off her body.

"Shoot, because the other activity I had in mind for tonight is most definitely sweat-producing," Derek sighed as well.

Her smile grew, knowing exactly what he had in mind. "Perhaps we could strip down the rest of the way and fill our bathtub with cool water?" she suggested.

"Aren't cold showers and baths meant to put out the fire?"

"Trust me, nothing is putting out this fire except you," Emily promised.

Derek didn't bother with further questioning. He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, silently thanked whatever pregnancy hormone had enhanced her sex drive, and jumped out of bed to fulfill her proposal. "Your wish is my command," he hummed cheerfully while yanking off his boxer-briefs and ducking into the bathroom.

Emily swiped away the remainder of her tears, grinning happily as she got out of bed and followed after him.

* * *

**End**


	92. Girl

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Girl**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily was barely through the door when Derek greeted her with a kiss. He stepped back and took her bag as he guided her into the main part of the house where kitchen, dining and living space all flowed together. "I'm glad you got back early today," Morgan said, directing her gaze to the stack of pancakes he'd made. "The four of us haven't had a weekend breakfast together since before the girls returned to school last month.

"Is that right?" Emily asked, reaching out to grab a pancake. She folded it and stuffed half of it in her mouth before he could even protest. "All we had on the jet this morning were stall pretzels," she spoke around the mouthful, working her way to the fridge. Emily grabbed raspberry jam and mayo then proceeded to smear both on what remained of her pancake.

"I don't care if you are seven months pregnant, that's disgusting," Derek wrinkled his nose. "Pancakes are meant to be slathered with butter and syrup," he declared. Seconds later he cringed as she added syrup to the pancake and finished it off.

Michelle came bounding down the stairs with Campbell right beside her. The dog padded over to Emily and sniffed at her feet, discovering new smells from her trip. Emily gave the Labrador retriever a good scratch behind his left ear, a place she knew was a favorite of his. Then she planted a kiss against the girl's forehead. "I missed you, chaton."

"Missed you too," Michelle gave her mother a hug and gently patted her bulging belly.

"Where's your other half?" Derek asked the child.

"Ellie's still in bed," the girl replied. "I asked if she was sick and she said no, but I think maybe she is because she's in her bed with her head buried against the pillow. And she wasn't very nice to me last night."

Derek frowned. "She's been kind of cranky the last few days," he let Emily know. "I think maybe she's got a case of early onset teenager hormones. Actually, I was wondering if it might be…" Morgan watched Michelle fix herself a plate of pancakes. He leaned into Emily a little closer. "How old were you when you had your first, uh… you know?"

"You know?" Emily asked, reaching for a second pancake. "You're going to need to be a little more specific than that."

"Your first period," he clarified.

"Ah…" she nodded in understanding. "I was twelve… no, actually it was a few months before my twelfth birthday." It took a moment for that to really sink in. "Oh," she shared a look with Derek. "That could definitely be cause for her moodiness," Emily nodded while slathering more raspberry jam and mayo on her second pancake. Then for Derek's benefit she added a little maple syrup and rolled it up like a burrito. "I'll go talk to her," she said, already on her way to the stairs.

True to what Michelle had reported, Emily found Ellie face down on her bed, head turned toward the wall. "Hey, sweetheart, I'm home."

"Hi," the girl replied, rarely able to be rude to Emily or Derek even when she wanted.

Emily smiled, noticing that the girl didn't roll over. She took a bite of her pancake and chewed while moving to stand right beside the girls' bunk beds. She noticed Ellie had an arm wrapped around the doll named Balene. Michelle had been clutching that very doll the day Emily had first met her. Then it had been given to Ellie later that year as a token of friendship and budding sisterhood. "Derek's pancakes are pretty good," she spoke again. "Not as good as mine, but not bad," Emily waited for a moment but didn't receive a response. "Hey, sweetheart," she placed a hand against the girl's back. "Can you look at me, please?"

Ellie turned over to face Emily. "I'm glad you're home," she whispered. "I need to tell you something."

The look of apprehension in the child's eyes caused Emily to make a preemptive strike. "Did you start your period?" She watched as the girl nodded.

"This morning," Ellie said.

"Is it your first?"

"Yes."

"How do you feel?" Emily recalled her first and how she'd wanted to talk to her mother about it, but having no idea how to go about it. She'd ended up telling the housekeeper who was the one who went out with her to buy supplies. "Do you need something for…"

"No," Ellie stopped her. "I, uh… I took something from your bathroom. I hope you're not mad."

One of Emily's hands stroked the girl's dark hair. She wasn't nearly as close to Ellie as she was with Michelle, but at the moment Emily felt a definite kinship with the child. "No, I'm not mad at all. I wish I'd been thinking about this earlier, we could have been prepared. But maybe later today we can go and get you some things, a variety so you can figure out what you like best. What do you think?"

"Okay," the girl agreed.

The bedroom door opened and Michelle walked in. She headed straight to the beds and held a plate of pancakes up toward Ellie's bunk. "Dad said I could bring you some in bed, because you're sick."

"I'm not really sick," Ellie told her sister. "I started my period."

"Oh," Michelle nodded.

"You know what that means?" Emily asked the younger child, realizing she probably should have brought up the subject before with both girls.

Michelle nodded. "We talked about it in class last year when Mrs. Miller did a health lecture. She talked about boy and girl hormones and puberty and that kind of stuff. A girl in my class, Hannah Bullen, said she'd already gotten her period. But I hope I don't get mine until I'm older, like Ellie," she climbed the ladder at the end of the bed and delivered the pancakes to her older sister.

Ellie sat up and pressed her back against the wall. Michelle did likewise, sitting next to her sister as Ellie ate. "You know what I think," Emily spoke up again. "I think the three of us should have a girl's day out. We can go get Ellie some supplies and then head to the mall. You both still need some more school clothes since you each grew several inches over the summer," she pointed out. "And we can have lunch together. What do you say?"

"Can we get our fingernails painted like the Christmas when mommy was with us?" Michelle asked.

"Sure," Emily agreed as her eyes flicked to the other girl. "What about you, Ellie? You feel up to it?"

After finishing a small bite, Ellie nodded. "Okay," she agreed.

Twenty minutes later Derek was standing with Emily at the open front door, Campbell at their side. "Girl's only?" he questioned with a manufactured pout. A smile quickly replaced it. "So," Derek rested his hands against Emily's belly. "You can just leave this little guy with me and be on your way," he joked.

"Nice try," Emily kissed him, a little sorry to be leaving him behind after seeing him for just a few minutes since being home. "You'll have your son and boy's day out soon enough."

"Fine," he pushed her away and folded his arms across his chest. "Go, see if I care."

Emily chuckled as she gave him another quick peck on the lips and then went to join the girls in her car.

xxx

The Saturday afternoon crowd at the mall's food court was loud; parents with little kids, teenagers in packs, and even a few older couples out for the day. Emily sat at a small round table with the girls. All three of them were sipping through straws stuck in thick, chocolate milkshakes. They all had newly painted nails, Michelle in fuchsia, Ellie in a paler pink, and Emily with a dark shade of red. A sea of shopping bags surrounded them on the tile floor. Emily knew she'd splurged a little, spoiling them a bit, but she was happy to be able to do so once in a while. She caught Ellie's eye, hoping the girl was holding up. "How's that milkshake?"

"Best chocolate milkshake ever," Ellie grinned as she took another drink.

Emily chuckled, though she had to agree it was a wonderful shot of chocolate. The baby certainly enjoyed it, or so she told herself as means to indulge a little with the girls. "So, what next?" she asked them.

"Can I get a bra?" Michelle asked.

Ellie and Emily exchanged a quick smile. "Well, you don't really have anything to put in a bra yet," Emily noted, hoping to delicately inform the girl of that news.

Michelle didn't seem bothered to hear it. "But my friend, Alisha, says you have to train them."

Laughter now spilled past Emily and Ellie's lips. "In that case, we could find you a training bra if you like," Emily offered. "Or maybe some new undershirts that have a shelf bra," she suggested. "That would probably be enough for you right now."

"Okay," the younger girl agreed. "As long as I don't have to have sex, because Alisha's older brother Thomas says that when girls start wearing bras that usually means they'll start having sex. But I don't want to have a baby for a long time so I'm not having sex for a long time."

A small trickle of worry ran down Emily's spine, wondering what other sorts of miss-information the girls were picking up from friends. She also had a feeling that the Catholic school's idea of a health class had not included the most pertinent details about sex. "Do you know what sex is, chaton?"

"It's when boy private parts touch girl private parts, and it makes a baby," Michelle replied. "I think it sounds gross."

Another smile lit Emily's lips. "I can just about guarantee you that there will come a day in the not-so-distant future when you won't think sex is so gross," she relayed to the girl. "You are going to hit puberty soon, like Ellie. And you'll start having more thoughts about boys, and you'll probably be curious about kissing them and eventually having sex with them. And, yes, sex can lead to having a baby but that's not always the case."

Emily took a quick breath. "And there are important steps you can take to protect yourself from getting pregnant and contracting diseases." She watched both girls' eyes glaze over from the amount of information and Emily thought she'd try to break it down for them a little more, later. "The most important things to know about sex are that it's okay to wait until you feel comfortable doing it, and preferably waiting to do it with someone you really care about and hopefully even love."

"Ellie likes Marty," Michelle blurted out. "She told me they kissed."

The older girl turned scarlet upon hearing her sister's words. "He kissed me on the cheek," Ellie looked to Emily as she spoke. "That's all. Honest," she said.

"I trust you," Emily replied, suddenly realizing she wasn't ready to have sexually active daughters. But it was inevitable, and she wanted to be much more open with them than her mother had even been with her. "When you two do start to seriously think about having sex I want you to know you can talk to me about it. If you need condoms or birth control, anything, you just need to let me know. Okay?"

The girls both nodded. "I wanted to call you yesterday, but Derek said we shouldn't call you when you're on a case, because you'd be distracted," Ellie said.

"Well, that's true," Emily agreed. "But you can call and leave me a message. And I'll call you back as soon as I can," she let them know. "Work is very important, but the two of you and this baby…" she rubbed her belly affectionately. "And Derek… the four of you are much more important to me than work," Emily assured them. "And you can always talk to Derek about this stuff, too." She watched both girls look embarrassed at the thought. "I know he's a guy, but he's very understanding. He doesn't get squeamish about girly stuff and he's actually very good about procuring chocolate when I need it."

That caused both girls to giggle. "Maybe," Ellie replied. "But I'd rather talk to you about this kind of stuff."

Emily smiled proudly and reached out to tenderly touch the girl's forearm. "I'll always be here for you," she promised. "Both of you."

xxx

Derek and Campbell stood in the hallway as Emily and the girls returned home. Ellie and Michelle carried all their bags inside and then made a mad dash upstairs to their room to try everything on again. "So, how was your girl's only day?" Morgan asked as he kissed Emily's cheek.

The two of them remained congregated in the hall across from the bottom of the stairs. Emily leaned against the wall and watched Campbell excitedly pacing back and forth in front of her. He was in frisky puppy mode again for some unknown reason, which caused Emily to grin as she patted the dog's head. "It was a good day," she finally said. "We talked about boys, kissing, sex, condoms and birth control. And we all got new bras and had chocolate milkshakes," Emily concluded.

"Sounds very productive," he chuckled. "I hope you also told them they're not allowed to date until they graduate… college," Derek declared.

"Yeah, about that…" Emily turned to kiss him again. "Apparently Ellie and Marty like each other," she revealed.

"Like?" Morgan pondered. "Are we talking about puppy-love like, or like-like?"

Her shoulders rose in a shrug. "I'm really not sure. I think it's all very innocent at the moment, but…"

The sound of footsteps on the stairs caused Emily to pause her words, and the two adults looked over to find Ellie perched on the bottom step. She stayed there for a brief moment before finally crossing the small distance and wrapping her arms around Emily's ever-growing belly. "Thank you for the milkshake, mom," the girl whispered. Ellie pulled back a little and looked up at Emily. "Thank you for everything today," she said before turning and heading back up the stairs.

Emily was speechless for a second. "Did she just call me…"

"Mom," Derek confirmed with a pleased grin.

"Well…" she shrugged. "It's probably easier for her to call me mom than it would be for her to call you dad, because she didn't ever know her mom," Emily reasoned.

Morgan regarded her for a moment. "You're really gonna tell me that didn't just make your whole day?"

Her head shook. "More like my whole year," Emily beamed. "I'm sure she feels the same about you, it's just…"

"Hey, dad," Ellie called out as she reappeared on the upper step. She looked down at Derek with a warm smile. "I forgot to tell you our school's doing a production of the Wizard of Oz in November and I volunteered to help with set design stuff. Do you think you could help out a little, if you have the time?" she asked.

"I'll make the time," Derek answered, speaking past the emotional lump in his throat.

"Good," Ellie smiled a little brighter upon hearing that answer. "Thanks," she was off again, disappearing behind the wall that separated the lower and upper staircase.

Derek hugged his wife, kissing her temple and lovingly rubbing her swollen belly. "Is this a bad time to mention that Corey Miller called from the adoption agency while you were out today? She said an issue has come up and she wants to meet with us on Monday," he relayed to Emily.

She shrugged off his obvious worry. "It's probably just about those educational classes they ask all adoptive parents to go through," Emily reasoned. "I thought maybe we could get around that, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep the girls with us. No one is breaking this family up," she declared.

"I agree," Derek replied, sealing the words with a kiss.

* * *

**End**


	93. Bracelet

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Bracelet**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"Do you really need to hold your hands over my eyes?" Emily asked of her husband, a bemused smile firmly planted on her lips.

The evening so far had been simple, but lovely. Her parents were visiting for dinner, which had consisted of homemade pizza and salad prepared by Derek and the girls. Emily had nearly balked at the idea of serving her parents pizza, but they actually seemed to have enjoyed it. Now, with the dinner dishes cleared, Derek's hands over her eyes, and the sound of footsteps scurrying from the kitchen to the dining area, Emily was pretty sure she knew what was in store next.

Morgan grinned, leaving his hands where they were. "Yes, it's a surprise," he replied, shaking his head for her parent's benefit. The older couple was seated across the table from Emily, both of them smiling as well. "The whole idea of a surprise is that you don't see it until the last minute," Derek declared, as if he were explaining the concept to a five year old.

Michelle and Ellie started singing a few seconds later and Derek finally dropped his hands from Emily's eyes. She spied the birthday cake as both girls carefully carried it to the table and placed it in front of the woman who'd they'd each come to call mom. "_Happy birthday to you…_" Emily's parents even joined in, along with Derek, too. Even Campbell warbled a little tune with the family as he sat eagerly at Emily's feet.

Emily rested both hands upon her ever-expanding belly. She didn't feel any movement inside, surprised by how the baby always seemed to sleep through the noise and her movements during the day, and usually woke up just when she was trying to get some rest at night. Emily figured that was something they'd all need to get used to in the coming months. Upon the last note to the Happy Birthday Song, Emily stared down at the two, numbered, wax candles that had been placed in the vanilla icing. The four and two glowed from their lit wicks.

She closed her eyes again for a brief moment, this time of her own free will. Emily made a quick wish. Then she blew out the candles with one swift puff of breath. Her parents and the girls clapped. Derek kissed her. And Campbell dancing at her feet, no doubt hoping for a chunk of cake to fall on the ground. She carved up the cake and the girls handed pieces to their grandparents. Emily dug into her hefty slice and almost moaned in appreciation. The only thing better would have been chocolate cake.

"This is delicious, thank you," she aimed her words toward the girls.

"We didn't make it," Ellie revealed.

"We got it at the store," Michelle added. "Dad said it would be easier," she laid the blame on him.

"And they didn't have chocolate," Ellie said by way of apology.

Derek shrugged and licked frosting off his fork. "Even though I'm the stay-at-home parent I can't do everything," he grinned, reaching over to swipe an icing smudge off Emily's upper lip. Then he leaned in to kiss her, the soft hint of vanilla wafting between their lips.

The six of them were barely done with cake when the girls presented a small pink box to their mother. "You have to open it now!" Michelle exclaimed.

Not one to disappoint, Emily quickly obliged her daughter's wish and pulled the box top off. She pushed back a thin layer of tissue and found a bracelet inside. When she reached for it, Emily realized it was made of embroidery thread, three different colors carefully woven together by hand. "Did you make this?" she asked Michelle.

A smile bloomed on the girl's face, but her head shook a little. "Ellie and I made it together for you. It has three colors, see?" she pointed out the alternating sections. "The first color is purple, because that's Ellie's favorite, the second is green for me and the third is blue for the baby," she explained. "We want you to wear it like the wedding ring dad gave you, so it's kinda like a promise that you'll always be our mom."

"Will you wear it?" Ellie asked, feeling much more confident about her role in their family.

"Of course I will," Emily replied, draping it over her left wrist. "I'll never take it off, so you'll always be with me," she let Ellie know, shifting her gaze to Michelle as well to let the younger girl know the promise included both of them. "Can you help me tie it?"

Ellie and Michelle both helped secure the bracelet in place and were proud of their accomplishment.

xxx

Hours later, Derek found his wife in the bathroom adjoining their bedroom. She was standing in front of a full-length mirror that was affixed to one wall. Her body was covered only in underwear and a tank top. He moved in behind her and wrapped his arms around her tummy, resting his hands against the large bulge. His chin dipped to land on her right shoulder as he caught her eye in the mirror. They each roamed their reflection a few seconds more. "You look gorgeous, birthday girl," Derek finally whispered in her ear.

"I am, aren't I?" she smiled in answer.

Derek was surprised by the response. "Yes," he nodded a confirmation. "But I was actually expecting you to complain about being ugly and fat with stretch marks and swollen ankles," he chuckled softly, having heard the lament plenty of times the last few months.

She shrugged. "I don't know why, but tonight I feel good. Real good," Emily admired herself some more. "Maybe I've just come to accept the stretch marks and all the other crap that comes along with being pregnant. I don't know," she shrugged again. "There's something about carrying and nurturing new life that makes you feel pretty powerful. And _this_," Emily held her left wrist up for him to see the colorful bracelet. "Well, it's making me feel kind of superhuman, like a Super Mom."

"They were pretty proud of their idea to make that for you," Morgan noted, recalling how the girls had shown it to him earlier with unbridled excitement.

"I love it," Emily said. "I love being their mom. I love hearing them say, _mom_, and knowing they mean me." Her head shook in disbelief. "Two years ago I never could have imagined any of this in my life… being married or the mother of two pre-teens and an unborn baby." She smiled proudly. "I feel more settled at age forty-two than I ever have in life."

Morgan snuggled her neck again. "I'm glad," he kissed her cheek, which soon led to much more birthday celebration than just kissing.

xxx

Monday morning had dawned with Emily still feeling rather empowered in her role as wife and mother. But as she and Derek now sat across from a young woman named Corey Miller, and listened to the unimaginable words drifting past her lips, Emily felt her stomach flop. And not in a good, the baby is kicking, kind of way, but a heart-sick kind of way. The two of them hadn't been expecting any problems to arise in their adoption of Michelle and Ellie, at least not anything other than money or possibly the fact that Emily's job was dangerous.

The news they were receiving now just didn't seem possible. "Matt Spicer has a cousin in Denver who's contesting Ellie's adoption?" Derek asked for clarification, seeing that Emily was speechless at the moment.

"Yes. Her name is Janice Harwood, and she's the first cousin of Mathew Spicer," the case worker explained to them. "She's the daughter of Mathew's aunt, Patricia, from his mother's side. Apparently the two sisters had a falling out many years ago. And Patty Sullivan died just shortly after her sister. She had the one daughter, Janice, who's thirty-six now. When your applications came through we had to do a thorough search for living family members and when we contacted Janice she said she was interested in taking on Ellie."

"And that's it?" Emily finally found her voice. "Ellie's never met this woman, but because she's family she can lay claim to her?"

"We always try to place children with family first," Corey nodded.

Emily's head shook. "That is complete BS," she responded. "We know nothing about this woman."

Morgan put a hand to his wife's arm, not wanting her to say anything more that might turn Corey's opinion of them sour. "So, how does this work?" he asked. "Janice and Ellie meet, we see how they get along and then go from there?"

"Actually," Corey Miller flashed a sympathetic look their way, but she didn't mince words. "Janice is flying into Washington DC on Saturday morning, and she'll be escorting Ellie back to Denver later that same day. Denver child services will take over the case and make sure to check on Ellie and inspect the home situation from time to time for the first six months. After that, Janice Harwood will be free to adopt Ellie if she likes."

"Isn't this all a bit suspicious?" Emily persisted. "Ellie's father and aunt died over two years ago. She lived in a foster home for most of that time in LA, and then we were able to get legal guardianship turned over to us in very short order," she explained. "So, how come this woman is just showing up now to claim Ellie?"

Corey shrugged. "The adoption rules call for a more extensive search of living, blood relatives," she answered. "And sometimes local social service jurisdictions don't always look very far afield," the young woman admitted.

"So, you let a family get completely attached to a child to the point where they want to adopt her, and then you say sorry," Emily scoffed. "Sorry you love her; sorry she calls you mom now, sorry her younger sister is going to be devastated by her leaving." She pushed her chair away from the woman's small desk and got to her feet. "You can do whatever the hell you want, but I plan to get a lawyer and figure out a way to keep Ellie with us," Emily declared before storming out of the room.

She was dimly aware of Derek chasing her down the hall and outside onto the sidewalk. Emily barely breathed the whole way back to the car until she slid into the passenger side seat and heaved a sob. "Hey," Morgan's strong hand rested against her shoulder. "We're going to figure this out," he spoke softly, calm and reassuring.

Emily sucked down her tears. "So much for the new empowered mother routine," she sniffed. "Back to the pregnant tears of doom."

Derek smiled, still massaging her back. "I seriously doubt this Janice woman has any idea what raising a teenager is all about. Maybe she's just trying to figure out the past, what went wrong with her mother and aunt. Maybe…" that reasoning sounded rather lame even to his ears. "I don't know, Em. I don't know what to do here."

Her eyes bored into his as she collected herself, swiping tears. "I know one thing. We have to tell the girls, the sooner the better."

"It's gonna break their hearts," he realized.

"It's sure as hell breaking mine," Emily replied.

He drew her hand to his lips and kissed it softly, knowing the girls would need all their love and support. "Mine too," Derek admitted.

xxx

Their level of upset was nothing compared to the scared and worried look on Ellie's face as they relayed the news to her. Emily could see the last two years of the eleven-year-old girl's life – two years which had been spent rebuilding after the loss of her father and aunt, two years in which she'd learned to love and trust again, two years that had brought her a sister and new parents – shattered in a manner of seconds.

"I don't understand," Michelle was actually the first one to speak. "Ellie lives here now."

Ellie swallowed, seeing the truth on the two adult's faces; the truth that everything was going to shift again. "I don't know this Janice woman," she stated, voice soft but clearly pissed off in an understated way. "You said I could be adopted by you," Ellie stared at Derek for a long moment and then shifted her gaze to Emily. "You promised to always be there for me. Only three days ago you said that."

Those words made Emily's heart ache, but she did her level best to remain calm. "And I will always be here for you. I just… we are going to figure a way out of this…"

"Emily," Derek's tone was warning, not wanting to get the child's hopes up. He hated the situation just as much as his wife, maybe even more, but he knew they had to follow the rules in this instance. He looked Ellie in the eye, her hazel orbs practically begging him to make everything all right. "You will have to go live with Janice for a little while," he stated. "Hopefully not very long. I think maybe you're the only family she has; maybe she just wants to get to know you. I doubt she wants to take on the job of raising you," Derek reasoned.

"So, Ellie will come back?" Michelle asked with renewed hope. "She's just going away for a short trip?"

Morgan and Emily exchanged a glance. They wanted to be honest, but they also wanted to protect their children and their family from being torn apart. "We think it will probably just be a short trip," Emily finally replied. It was the closest compromise she'd been able to come up with, but she could see both girls had caught her word: _think_. And they weren't happy about it at all. Even Campbell was curled up on the sofa beside Ellie, as if sensing something was very wrong.

"Mom and dad are right," Ellie finally said, aiming her words toward the younger girl. "I'll be back."

Derek was about to lose it as he listened to Ellie make such a brave statement, because he knew she was putting on a strong show for Michelle's benefit. He was proud of her, but it also made him sick to his stomach. "Why don't we all go out for dinner tonight, and then we can go buy Ellie a special new suitcase for her trip," he suggested.

"Can it be a small one?" Ellie asked. "I don't want to take any important stuff, just clothes."

Emily smiled at that, rubbing her belly as she felt the baby kicking. "It can be any size you want," she agreed.

"Okay," Ellie nodded her agreement. She looked to Emily exclusively for a long moment. "I don't care if I'm gone for Thanksgiving, or even my birthday or Christmas, but I have to be back before the baby is born. I will be, right?"

"Yes," the word was a whisper on Emily's lips as she felt Derek's hand grasp hers. "You will," she promised.

xxx

The team gathered on Tuesday morning for a case briefing. They were on the jet an hour and a half later, all of them but Emily. She stayed behind, using Garcia before the team landed in Albuquerque and needed her services full-time. "Janice Harwood is thirty-six…" the blonde tech spoke as she performed her background check with Emily nestled in the chair beside her. "She's been living in Denver for almost five years, before that… um, apparently she was married to a man named Jackson Harwood…"

"Divorced?" Emily inquired, wanting to know everything she could on Janice before the woman took her daughter away.

"Yes," Penelope confirmed. "After Jackson was sentenced to twenty-five years for drug trafficking she filed for divorce."

"Drugs?" that knowledge only helped put Emily on edge a little more. "Is Janice involved with drugs in any way?" she kept on the tech, hounding her for every morsel of information possible. "If she has any kind of record, I swear I'll…"

Garcia didn't wait for what her friend planned to do. "Says here Janice was arrested twice with Jackson in San Francisco on drug possession charges, but she was never convicted. Apparently there wasn't enough evidence to prove she was part of his operation. However, she was in a rehab facility for six months following one incident."

"So, she's a user," the words were pushed out with Emily's breath as she became unhinged. "How the hell could child services give her a kid if she's a drug user? They must have done some background check on her, right? This is ridiculous," Emily seethed.

Penelope sympathized with her friend, but she had the unfortunate task of citing the truth. "According to documentation, Janice has been clean all the years she's been in Denver. She works two part-time jobs, one is a swing shift at a convenience store and the other is just a few hours in the morning at an office building. Apparently she's part of a cleaning crew."

"Two jobs," Emily huffed. "Meaning she'll have time for an eleven year old kid… when? Never," she quickly answered. The fingers of her right hand gently caressed the bracelet on her left wrist. Just two days ago the girls had given her that gift, a symbol of their love and acceptance of her as their mother. "And just because there's no record of her using drugs these past few years, doesn't mean she's not," her head shook.

The tech nodded in agreement. "It doesn't, but some people do stay clean," she cautiously noted. "I mean, didn't you ever… you know? Try it?"

"Once or twice," Emily revealed. "But that's completely different, and it was ages ago, and…" she realized she didn't have a very strong case against the woman. "There's still something wrong here," she maintained, not caring if her case against Janice Harwood had a dozen or more holes. "Do you have any kind of contact number for her?"

"Emily, I think that might be a bad idea," Garcia replied, not afraid to speak her mind. "Maybe you should talk this over with Derek first."

Brown eyes glared at the younger woman, not at all amused by the suggestion. "This is my daughter we're talking about here, P. If you had a kid, wouldn't you make damn sure to check on the daycare or nanny that was going to be looking after your child? You would," Emily declared. "I need to find out what's really going on here."

Reluctantly, Penelope jotted down the contact information for her friend. "Just… be careful," she leant a last bit of friendly advice.

xxx

Emily snuck into the old office her husband used to occupy. No one had taken over the space yet and the phone was still working. She closed the door and sank down into the comfy chair, thankful of the small bit of privacy the space afforded her. Emily knew she couldn't make the phone call at her desk with a bullpen of other people buzzing around her. That was simply too many ears to overhear what she wanted to say to the woman.

The number was dialed, and Emily waited. It rang once, twice, three times… on the fourth ring it was finally answered. "_What?_" a female voice slurred.

Quietly, Emily sat with the office phone to her ear as she tried to profile the woman over the line. "_Hello_," Janice's impatient tone filtered through. "_If there's no one there I have better things to be doing with my time_," she spat. Emily thought she sounded rude, to say the least. "_Tim, is that you? I told you not to call me here. I'll call you back if…_"

"Hello, is this Janice Harwood?" Emily finally spoke. "Sorry, the line must have stalled or something," she created a flimsy excuse for her lack of response. "This is Agent Emily Prentiss with the FBI's Behavior Analysis Unit in Quantico," she was sure to list every title and affiliation she could in the introduction. Emily was not above intimidation. "My husband Derek Morgan and I have legal custody of your cousin, Ellie Spicer. I was wondering if we could talk about her."

"_Oh…_" the woman sounded haughty. "_So, you heard about me wanting to take her, huh?_"

The words and smug tone of voice did nothing to settle Emily's worry. "Yes, and I'm wondering if we might be able to work out some sort of agreement. My husband and I have no problem with you getting to know Ellie, but we feel it's in her best interest to stay with us. She's part of our family, she has school. Surely you can see she shouldn't be uprooted from all that, especially not after everything she's been through."

"_Right, her dad died… and her aunty, too,_" Janice spoke the words as if she were speaking of a few dead bugs. "_She should be with family. She should be with me_."

With her right hand balled into a fist, Emily tried to breathe normally. The callus nature of the woman's voice was enough to drive her crazy with rage. Her slurred speech also indicated that she was either drunk or high. Or maybe she just had a speech impediment. But Emily doubted that. "We are Ellie's family now. She chose to live with us, she has a sister here and she's about to have a baby brother…"

"_Your kids_," Janice replied. "_They're not blood like me. Ellie and me, we'll be good for one another_," she said. "_Of course…_"

"What?" Emily latched on to what sounded like an opening. "Is there some other arrangement we can come to?"

"_A monetary one_," the woman responded. "_I need it, you got it_."

A chill ran down Emily's spin. So that was what she was after. Somehow she'd figured out Emily had money. "What do you want?" Emily asked.

The line was silent for a long pause. "_You get me three hundred thousand dollars… Ellie can stay with you_," Janice finally stated her demand.

"I'll have to get back to you," Emily replied. "I'll be in touch."

"_Don't wait too long_," the woman said. "_This offer is limited_."

There was a soft click as the line went dead. Emily placed the phone receiver back into its cradle on the desk. A hand rubbed her swollen belly, extremely grateful that she could keep her baby boy safe where he was; no one threatening to snatch him away from her. She pondered Janice's request and wanted nothing more than to give her the money and call it a day. But she knew she needed to discuss the matter with Derek first.

xxx

"You cannot possibly be that stupid," Derek stared at his wife, dumfounded. "Why did you even call her?"

Emily's eyes flamed, irritated by his reaction. "I am not stupid, I did research on this woman. She has two crappy jobs, a drug past and an ex husband who's in prison. Is that really the kind of person you're just going to hand Ellie off to? Because if it is, then I think you're the stupid one," she spat.

Campbell stood in the middle of the living room between the two of them. Emily sat on the sofa, Derek on the edge of a recliner. The yellow lab's head cocked to one side to regard Derek and then shifted to stare quizzically at Emily. He was clearly not impressed by their bickering. His only solution was to rub against Derek's leg and then lick Emily hand, trying to connect the two humans that he cared about.

Derek took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he said, reaching across the short expanse to take his wife's hand. She was reluctant at first, but finally allowed the contact. "You're not stupid, just clearly acting on emotional mom mode. But, Em…" he tried to get her to see his reasoning. "Don't you see… if we give this woman money now, yes, she might let Ellie stay with us. But who's to say she won't be back in a few months or years to demand even more money?"

"We get a lawyer," Emily had an answer. "We get Janice to sign away any legal rights to Ellie once she gets the money," she concluded. "I have enough sitting in my trust fund right now. She can have it. I'd pay five times that much to keep Ellie away from this woman."

"So would I," he agreed. "But we need to do this by the book. We can try getting a lawyer to make this deal, but I can almost guarantee you she's not going to sign anything."

Her jaw clenched in despair. "So, we just let her take Ellie?"

He sighed. "For now, yes…" the words hurt him. "I don't think we have much other choice. But if this woman is willing to trade Ellie for cash then I seriously doubt child services will allow Ellie to stay with her for long. She'll screw up, Em. She will," Derek was confident of the fact.

"When?" Emily was less assured. "Before or after she's shed Ellie of her last bit of coping ability? Don't you see how damaging this could be for Ellie?"

"I do," he nodded. "But I still think we need to do this legally, through the system. And hope that we've given Ellie enough love and support to get her through this."

"Okay," the word was a soft squeak of sound from deep in her throat.

xxx

Ellie had the new purple backpack slung over both arms. It was a small pack, just big enough for clothing, her Balene doll and a small picture album that contained photos of her dad, aunt and also of her new family in DC, the one she hoped to see again soon. The girl wore a smile as she hugged both her parents. Emily watched Janice shifting her weight from one leg to the next as she stood in the airport enduring their long goodbye to Ellie.

First impressions of Janice Harwood had been the same for both Derek and Emily. She was tall, thin as a rail with dark hair that clung limply to her skull. She had sunken cheeks and was jittery. She wore jeans, a hooded sweatshirt and way too much makeup. She had dirty nails and a ratty bag that she carried as a purse. And she had gray eyes that roamed everywhere, but never looked any of them directly in the eye.

"We gotta go," Janice motioned toward the security checkpoint.

Michelle clung to her older sister. "I'll miss you," she said, trying hard not to cry.

"I'll miss you, too," Ellie replied. But she kept a happy look on her face, for everyone else's benefit.

Derek put a hand against the girl's shoulder. "You have your cell phone, right?" he watched her nod. "We'll keep paying for that, so you can call anytime."

The child nodded and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Bye, dad," she whispered against his chest.

"I love you, kiddo," he whispered back.

Emily watched as the girl approached her. Both of them had tears threatening to fall in the corners of their eyes. "Don't forget to take those gummy vitamins I packed for you," Emily said, holding Ellie at arm's length. "And do your best at the new school, okay. I don't want you to get behind. St. Ann's said they'll hold your spot, so…" she felt the girl's arms snake around her large tummy. Her breath hitched, but she sucked down the tears.

"Goodbye, mom," Ellie said. Then her hand rubbed over Emily's cotton dress. "Bye, baby," she whispered.

"I'll see you soon," Emily said as she pressed a kiss against the girl's head. "I love you."

Ellie pulled away. "Love you," she said before clinging to Michelle again.

"Come on," Janice grabbed Ellie's arm.

That action finally caused Emily to blow. She promptly crossed the invisible line between herself and the other woman and got right in Janice's face. "Don't you dare touch her like that," Emily growled a warning.

"Or what?" the woman asked. She leaned in to whisper. "Guess you don't love her much, because I don't see any money, rich girl."

Morgan took Emily's hand, guiding her away from the woman. "Let's not make a scene, please," he implored.

Janice took off, tugging the girl along. Ellie waved.

Emily stood there watching as they wove their way through the security line. Michelle was pressed tightly against Derek, only her eyes peeking out to watch Ellie. But the girl and Janice soon disappeared from sight and Derek eventually convinced both Emily and Michelle to head back to the parking garage. Later, at home, the place was quiet and empty without Ellie there, which seemed rather silly considering the girl had always been very quiet. But their home felt vacant all the same.

"I'll be at the Newberg house," Morgan announced, Newberg being the street name for his project house.

"You're going to work?" Emily asked.

"I'd really like to hit something right now and the upstairs bathroom needs demo," he replied, kissed her cheek and then slipped back out the front door.

Michelle took off like a shot up the stairs, leaving Emily behind. She plopped down on the sofa and Campbell curled up beside her. "We can't give up on Ellie," Emily spoke softly to the lab as she scratched behind his left ear. "We've got to get her home." Campbell made a small whine as if he were agreeing with her. She fiddled with her bracelet. "As her mother, it's my job to protect her and that's what I plan to do," Emily concluded.

* * *

**End**


	94. XRay

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

**Thank you to all who are still reading these stories, and special thanks for your comments! I've been very busy lately, but I hope to reach the 100th story soon!**

* * *

**X-Ray**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Mid-October sun shone through the tall windows at the back of their house. Emily was sprawled with her book on the recliner, though she wasn't reading much. Mostly her eyes kept flicking to Michelle who sat on the floor of the living room. The girl cut out pieces of décor for the school play's brochure, which she'd volunteered to design. That was on top of her starring role in the _Wizard of Oz_ musical as Dorothy. Staying busy kept them all from thinking about Ellie too much; at least that's what they pretended.

The back door swung open and Derek entered with Campbell at his heels. He bent down to remove the lab's collar and set him free. The dog instantly jogged over to where Emily was seated. He stood at the base of the leather chair and sniffed her blanket-covered feet. Derek followed the dog's lead and leaned down to kiss his wife. "It's a beautiful Fall day out there, we should all go to the park. Go for a bike ride," he suggested. One hand patted Emily's expanding belly. "Or a walk, in your case."

"I don't really feel like it," Emily replied, stretching a little as she eyed Michelle again.

The girl looked up at her father for a moment, sad green eyes focusing on him. "I want to stay here, in case Ellie calls," Michelle said. "She might need me."

Morgan sighed and sat down on the sofa close to where Michelle was situated. "Ellie called last night to tell you she's fine," Derek replied to the girl's concern. "We all talked to her, and I suspect that you and she texted a lot later than you're meant to stay up at night," he raised a brow in question. Michelle said nothing in return, but squirmed a bit in a guilty manner. "I think some time at the park would do us all good. It's been a really long week," he persisted, looking to Emily for a little help.

For six days, Emily and Derek had turned over every stone in an attempt to figure out how to get Ellie back to them. So far they'd come up empty handed. Even Garcia's continued sleuthing work hadn't yielded any useful information. Janice Harwood seemed to have turned her life around since abusing drugs, or at least she was currently doing a damn fine job of covering her tracks. And she'd refused to sign any legal documents in exchange for money. She was annoying the shit out of them, but she wasn't completely stupid.

"Okay," Emily closed her book. She'd been out in the field on two cases in six days, on top of her detective work with Derek and Garcia. That, coupled with her pregnant belly, had her moving a bit slow for a Saturday morning, but she knew the tradition would be good for Michelle. "We'll go to the park," she agreed, allowing Derek to take her hand and help hoist her out of the comfy chair.

Michelle looked from one parent to the other as she abandoned her paper cut-outs and design work. "Can I walk with you guys instead of riding?" she asked, getting to her feet. "And take my phone in case Ellie calls?"

Derek ran a hand over the child's soft brown hair. "Sure you can," he agreed, kissing her forehead.

xxx

Ellie rubbed a hand over the pocket of her jeans where her cell phone resided. She'd been sure to keep it out of Janice's view. The woman had already said some pretty disdainful things to her about how much time she spent texting Michelle and talking to Derek and Emily. "Mrs. Harold let me clean the white boards after school yesterday," the girl said, watching as Janice flipped through a magazine, across the room. "And I met a girl named Alice who was nice to me," Ellie continued.

"Huh?" Janice made the sound form on her lips, but she didn't appear to be interested.

"Mrs. Harold calls me Ellie," the girl continued. "At St. Ann's, Ms. Blankenship would never call me Ellie, just Elizabeth. I didn't like it. But now I have different teachers at St. Ann's for math, science and history. They all call me Ellie. I think our principal, Mrs. Davies, probably asked them to call me Ellie. She's real nice like that."

Janice lowered the magazine onto her lap and glared at Ellie. "Will you shut up," she hissed. "That social worker said you were a quiet kid, shy or something. But you've been talking a lot since you got here," she huffed.

"Michelle and I talk about all sorts of stuff, and my mom and dad always take us to the park on Saturdays," Ellie wasn't daunted by the woman's sharp words. "If it's nice we ride bikes or walk. In the summer we get ice cream. It's still nice enough there to go to the park."

"Well, it ain't nice here," Janice snapped. She flung her hand in the direction of the one small window in the room. It was dirty, but they could both see a small dusting of snow on the ground. "But…" she stood and slapped the magazine down on the table beside her. "We do have somewhere to be."

The girl stiffened. "Where? It's not a school day."

"You ask too many damn questions," the woman shook her head. "Get a coat or something and move your legs. You gotta come with me."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

Janice shot her a look that could curdle milk. "Because you're, what… ten years old? I can't leave you here alone, right?"

"I'm eleven," the girl replied. "I'll be twelve in two months."

"Whatever," Janice stalked across the small living room and hauled Ellie to her feet. "You gotta help me with something important," she stated, pushing Ellie toward the door.

The two of them were in Janice's car ten minutes later. The dilapidated vehicle moaned and groaned while smoke rose from the hood. It lurched to a start every time the driver stomped on the gas, and squeaked to a stop with worn out breaks. Ellie glanced around the area for a short time then she tried to secretly text Michelle. But she didn't get half way through her message when she noticed Janice starring at her. "I just want my parents and sister to know I'm okay," Ellie gulped.

Without hesitation, Janice reached for the cell phone. She snatched it out of the girl's hand, rolled down her window and chucked the phone outside. "They are not your folks, or your sister. I'm your only family. We're blood, Ellie. That counts for more than those rich snobs could ever hope to give you," she declared.

Ellie's jaw tightened, guardedly, as she watched the car chug further away from the area where her phone had landed. She remained silent as they turned on to another street. Her memory of the direction they'd traveled from began to fade, and she feared never getting the phone back. It was her lifeline, the only means of contact she had with what she considered her real family. It was gone. She'd tried to be nice to the woman, but now Ellie was mad. "That phone was mine. You had no right to…"

Janice's hand shot across the front seat. She was just about to backhand the girl, but stopped short. "I'm sorry," Janice said, seeing the look of fear in Ellie's eyes. "I don't want to hurt you, Ellie. I really don't. I just need you to do a favor for me, and then we can go get some cocoa, or go to a park. Okay? I promise. Will you just please do me this favor?"

"I guess so," Ellie whispered her reply.

"Good," Janice pulled to a stop along a curb. "Good…" They were parked in front of a run-down house, two-story, white with faded blue trim. "Now, listen up close," she turned to Ellie while fishing through her ratty old bag. "I need you to go to the door there," she motioned toward the house. "You ask for Tim and you give him this…" she counted out a few bills. "Tell him I'll get the rest to him next week, and look all innocent and shit, okay?" Janice thrust the money into Ellie's hand.

The girl stared at the house. "Then what?"

"Tim'll give you something for that money. A package. And you sure as hell better come back with it or… no park visit. You understand?" the woman asked, receiving a prompt nod from the girl. "I'll be around the corner, a few blocks up. I can't be seen hanging around this neighborhood," she pushed Ellie out the door. "Go, be fast."

With shaky hands, Ellie took the money and exited the car. She'd only walked a few feet toward the house when Janice's car sped away. Her first thought was to run away, but without her phone she had no way to call her parents. She did have money, though, but her parents had promised to find a way to get her back home legally. And what if she had to return to Janice's place after running away? The woman would be very mad at her. All that considered, she walked toward the front door and knocked.

The wood partition creaked open on rusty hinges. A man stood before her, tall with messy blonde hair and dressed only in a pair of sweat pants, no shirt. "Hiya, cutie," he leered at her, leaning against the door jam. "Whatcha doing here?"

"Uh…" Ellie instantly disliked the man. His eyes were roaming places that made her uncomfortable and his teeth were yellow and decayed. She'd seen teeth like his before and it sent an icy shiver down her spine. "I need to see Tim," she cautiously said.

"Damn," the man replied. "Tim's a lucky guy," he waved her inside. "Maybe once you done with Tim you come see me for a little alone time, huh? Whatcha think?"

She lowered her gaze to the floor. "I just need to see Tim," Ellie whispered.

"He be on the second floor, cutie," the man informed her before stumbling away.

Her feet moved so fast that she was half way up the stairs before she looked back to make sure the creepy man with bad teeth wasn't following her. Ellie breathed a little slower when she reached the top floor, yet her heart was still beating quickly. The stairs opened to a hallway with two doors to her left and one to the right. She knocked on the first one to her left then the second. There was no answer at either. She knocked lightly on the third door.

It swung open a few inches and she spied a man on top of a woman, neither of them with any clothes on. "Oh, yes…" the woman moaned. "Yes, Tim, yes…"

Ellie's eyes widened and she stepped backward several paces. She felt something behind her and turned to find the tall blonde guy staring down at her. "Hey, cutie," he grinned, revealing his decayed teeth. "How 'bout you and me do that?" he nodded his head in the direction of the partially opened door.

Without a single word, Ellie ran as fast as she could. She maneuvered around the man, dashed down the stairs and rushed outside. Somewhere along the way she'd dropped the wad of Janice's cash, but she didn't much care as she looked to her right and scanned the terrain. The road curved around a bend and Ellie knew Janice had driven in that direction. She knew the woman – who claimed to be blood, who claimed to be her only family in the world – was waiting for her.

So she decided to run the opposite way.

xxx

"I know a judge in Denver, Dan Ferris, he's an old friend of mine," Joseph Prentiss said as he sat beside his wife at their dining table for a late lunch. The large room felt cozier with the presence of his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter. But the absence of their eldest granddaughter was greatly noticed. "I don't know if he can do anything to help get Ellie back, but I can talk to him about it, maybe he'll know someone in the child services department."

Emily smiled. "Thanks, daddy," she took a deep breath. "I appreciate it."

Morgan squeezed her hand as he watched Michelle across the table. She was still pushing her food around on the plate. Ellie hadn't called them yet, although it was still a few hours earlier there in Denver. It was weighing on all their minds, though. "Corey Miller called us yesterday. She said the Denver social worker is due to pay Janice and Ellie a visit today. We'll probably hear about that from Ellie… soon," he tried to sound confident.

"Ellie is a resilient child," Liz spoke up. For all her many contacts she hadn't been able to help, which left her feeling rather useless as a mother and grandmother. "I'm sure she's handling the situation," she offered up her own words of reassurance.

The trouble was, they all talked big, but they were all worried sick about the girl. And they missed her dearly after only a week's time. Even Campbell, who was currently curled up under the table between Emily and Derek, had been lethargic and not eating very well. The lab's ears perked up when a phone rang. Derek pulled his cell from the spot where it attached to his belt loop. He didn't normally keep it turned on while eating with Emily's parents, but the looks on their faces were forgiving under the circumstances.

A quick glance at the screen had him answering with concern. "Hello?"

"_This is Nancy Stevens from Denver Child Services_," a female voice announced. "_Am I speaking to Derek Morgan?_"

"Yes, this is he," Morgan replied, his nerves on edge.

"_I was given this name as an emergency contact_," Nancy informed him.

Derek's whole body tensed. "Is Ellie okay?" he watched Emily's eyes widen in worry, but he kept his focus on the phone conversation. "Has something happened?"

"_Sir, I'm not exactly sure_," the woman calmly replied. "_I went to the residence of Janice Harwood this afternoon and there was no one around. After a brief search I was informed that Ms. Harwood had been picked up by Denver police on a drug charge, apparently she was trying to procure drugs from an old contact of hers. She's been booked, but won't say anything about the girl. We have no idea where Ellie is at the moment_."

Morgan's chair shot out from behind him as he stood. "I'll contact my wife's team at the FBI. They'll head up the search. We'll be there in a few hours." He ended the call.

Emily got to her feet as well. "Where's Ellie?" she asked, even though Derek's side of the conversation indicated that their worst fears had come true.

"I'm not sure, but we'll find her," he replied. "You need to contact Hotch and get the team gathered," Derek instructed. She was on her phone the next second as Michelle ran around the table and latched onto him. "Hey, sweetness, you need to stay here with your grandparents, okay?" Morgan instructed. His eyes rose to meet with Liz and Joseph who both nodded their immediate agreement to that suggestion.

"I wanna go with you," the girl whispered. "I want to help find Ellie."

He crouched down and regarded the child. Both his girls had endured far too much hardship in their young lives, and he hadn't been able to deter most of it. "I really need you to stay right here," he insisted. "You stay close to your phone, because if Ellie calls anyone it will be you. Don't you think?"

Michelle nodded. "I'll let you know if she calls," the girl hugged him again before backing toward her grandmother.

"JJ is rounding up the team," Emily announced as she cut her phone conversation. "Hotch has cleared you to fly with us," she added, looking to her husband. "The jet is due to leave in a half hour," she concluded as Michelle wrapped her arms around Emily's waist, or what was left of it due to the baby's roundness. "We'll bring her back," Emily whispered against the girl's hair. "I promise, chaton."

xxx

He sat down on the leather seat beside his wife, the soft hum of the BAU jet vibrating beneath them. Hotch, JJ and Rossi were huddled at the table; Reid across the aisle on the bench seat. There wasn't much to go over, but the team was diligently canvassing every angle of the case. His eyes moved from his old team to his wife. "You okay?" Derek asked.

"Do I look okay?" Emily snapped, her tone was terse, on edge. Her hands mindlessly massaged a spot low on her belly where the baby was kicking. "I feel like I have a sign over my head that says: kidnap my fucking kids," she sighed. "Of course this time we just handed her over," her head shook, a knot of guilt and disgust nagging at her. "We should have just given Janice the money, no damned legal contracts. Ellie would still be with us."

Derek heard the blame in her voice, directed somewhat at him for his part in deterring her payoff idea. But he didn't let her get under his skin, because he'd actually been thinking the same thing. He let reason weigh out, though. "We did the right thing, the legal thing. If Janice is responsible for Ellie missing then we have the upper hand, Em," he concluded.

She felt his hands join hers, making her feel even guiltier, and ashamed that she'd laid any blame on him for Ellie being taken from them. "I shouldn't have promised Michelle we'd bring Ellie back," she lamented, her emotions swinging like a pendulum. Regret had suddenly come to sit down in her lap. "What if…"

"Don't even go there," Morgan insisted.

"Guys…" it was JJ's voice that caught their attention. She pointed toward the laptop on the table.

Emily and Derek stood and moved closer to the group. They watched Garcia's visage as she spoke. "_So, according to the Denver PD officer I spoke with, Janice Harwood was arrested on a charge of obtaining drugs from a known dealer. Actually, she and this Tim guy go way back. And some other guy who was at the drug house spilled the beans and mentioned a girl that fits Ellie's description. He claims she was looking for Tim and had a bunch of cash on her_."

"She sent Ellie in to a drug den to buy for her?" Derek ground out the words.

"_It would seem so, but apparently Janice isn't talking_," Penelope confirmed. "_According to a video I accessed from the DPD's CCTV…_" she caught Hotch's look of disapproval and decided to gloss over how she'd come across that information. "_She's keeping quiet. And, according to official records, she's been clean for five years, but… the guy who identified Ellie says he's seen Janice and Tim together a lot_."

None of that information was very helpful in regard to the missing girl and Emily feared the worst. "Any word on Ellie?" she asked.

"_Amber Alert was issued shortly after you got the call from Child Services_," Garcia relayed. "_They're already out looking for her_," she tried to sound reassuring. "_Most likely she got scared and ran away. So, she'll be looking for a police station or other safe haven, right?_"

"Let's hope so," Derek nodded, appreciative of her kind words.

"You'll let us know if anything else comes up," Hotch eyed the tech.

Garcia nodded. "_You'll know it as soon as I do_," she agreed just before the screen winked out.

xxx

An hour later at the Denver police department, a man introduced himself to the team as Chief of police, Kyle Gordon. "We've got a grid search going, fanning out from the house where we believe Ellie was sent to acquire drugs for Janice Harwood," he explained.

"Has Harwood copped to that?" Hotch asked.

"No," Gordon shook his head. "Harwood is still in interrogation room one, if you want to try talking to her," he inclined his head to the right. "We haven't gotten anything out of her."

Emily stepped forward. "I'd like to be the one to talk to her," she remained calm in front of the team leader.

Hotch nodded. "Why don't you take Derek with you," he offered, definitely giving them more leeway than he should have. But he knew what it was like having someone you loved missing, a child even. And Emily and Derek had the unfortunate luck to be enduring that a second time.

Janice looked up upon seeing the two of them enter the tiny room. Her smile was far from warm, more along the lines of amused. "If it isn't the little rich girl and her jungle fever husband," she scoffed, legs bouncing under the table. "The perfect interracial couple about to have a perfect interracial baby, along with your two adopted children," she stuck her tongue out, and probably would have mimed a finger going down her throat if she hadn't been cuffed to the table. "The two of you are so PC it makes me sick."

"Where is Ellie?" Emily let the woman's comments roll over her. She focused only on one thing. "Did you do something to her?"

"I don't have to talk to you," Janice replied.

Derek rolled his eyes at the woman's defiant routine. He watched her jittery behavior and couldn't help wonder about her life, her upbringing, and how she'd come to be the distrustful and nasty person sitting before them. He pondered how she could share any kind of DNA with the likes of Matt, Kristin or Ellie Spicer. The conclusion he came to was drug use, which usually signified some type of underlying issue of abuse in her past, or self loathing. But there wasn't time for sympathy at the moment. "We don't care if you were buying drugs, we just need to know where Ellie is?" he stated.

The woman shrugged. "Don't know."

"Well, here's what I know," Emily said as she stood dangerously close to the woman. "I know you have two other drug arrest charges. Which means this third strike could actually warrant you some serious jail time."

"Nope, both of those charges were expunged, and they were from a different state," Janice wore a smug grin. Her heavy makeup clung to her face like a mask, her nails tapping unconsciously against the metal table where she sat. And her legs kept up their steady bounce.

Emily's brows arched, sensing the woman was detoxing or high. "Interesting," she said as an idea quickly formed in her head. It was a gamble, but worth a try. "Because I know this judge, Dan Ferris," it was a small lie considering her father was the one who knew the man. "And he told me that he could figure out a way to make those expunged charges come to light again. You see, the Denver judicial system is really trying to crack down on drug users in this district. He could see fit to make you a special example."

"That's like… entrapment, right?" Janice squirmed a little in her seat, finally seeming nervous. "You can't do that."

"Actually," Emily smiled. "It's called blackmail. And I really don't give a damn. Now, tell me… did you send Ellie into that house to buy drugs for you?" Emily asked the woman. Janice remained silent. "Did you!" she growled, fist pounding against the metal table. The sound that rang out was like a clap of thunder.

Janice finally caved. "Yeah, but she screwed that up, stupid ten year old," she said. "So much for blood relations, guess she's been too brainwashed by you, rich girl," Janice taunted.

Emily felt her right hand ball into another tight fist, and she would have let it connect with Janice's jaw if it hadn't been for Derek's iron-clad hold on her wrist. He was right, of course. If she let herself stoop to Janice's level then their chances of getting Ellie back in a legal manner would be slashed. "First of all," Emily let her hands relax a little as she stepped toward Janice again. "Ellie is eleven, almost twelve. And second, blood doesn't mean a damn thing without love to back it up. And I love Ellie more than you could probably ever hope to love anyone. I am her mother," she concluded. "And I'll find her with or without your help."

She and Derek were nearly out the door when Janice finally spoke again. "She probably went to find her cell phone," the woman called out, her superior nature seeming to have deflated in a manner of seconds. "I tossed it out the window while we were driving. Somewhere around 10th and Stewart," Janice concluded.

"You better hope nothing has happened to Ellie," Emily warning, her fiery brown eyes staring down the woman. "Otherwise, I'll be back to have a little chat with you. And I guarantee you I will find a way to lock this door," she waved a hand at the knob. "Cut all audio and visual recording devices to this room… and I won't be nearly as nice to you as I just was," she concluded, the words a steely promise.

They watched Janice gulp and then took their leave of the room. "Remind me never to get on your bad side," Derek whispered to his wife as they went to rejoin the team.

xxx

Officer Gordon showed Emily and Derek the cell phone that had been found in a ditch close to where Janice had told them to look. The sun above them was already starting to dip toward the horizon. Running out of daylight while searching for a missing child was always a serious issue, but Emily and Derek had no intention of giving up. "It's hers," Emily confirmed, rubbing her thumb over the cracked screen.

"If she did come to search for it, she probably didn't see it," Gordon let them know. "It was hard for our officers to find, having landed in a patch of blackberries." The radio clipped to the man's belt squawked and he grasped it. "This is Gordon," he answered the two-way.

A scratchy voice came over the line. "_We've had a sighting in __Cherry Creek State Park. Someone was running a trail there and claims they saw a girl that fits Ellie's description_."

"Thanks," Gordon replied. He barely made eye contact with the two worried parents before they all dashed toward the nearest vehicle.

Sunlight trickled through the trees in golden rays as they arrived at the large park. Gordon split his officers up into groups of two. Derek went with Gordon while Emily searched with a young female officer named Kate. Emily didn't think the park was that big, but looks were deceiving as she and Kate traversed a long rocky trail system. Gravel covered the ground with large boulders lining the trail here and there. The sun was almost below the horizon when Emily paused, contemplating a return to their home base site at the park's entrance.

"Mom?"

Emily spun around, searching the shadows. "Did you hear that?" she asked the other woman.

"I think so," the officer replied. She pulled a flashlight from her waist and flicked it on.

"Up here."

The soft voice caused Emily's neck to crane backwards, peering up the center of a tall pine tree beside them. Her heart bubbled to the surface of her throat. "Ellie," she spotted the girl seated on a high branch. "What in the world are you doing up there?" Emily asked.

"I ran," Ellie replied, slowly working her way down the branches. "I tried to find my phone and I know I should have looked for a police station, but then I found this park…" she stepped down again, a few more branches beneath her. "I felt safe here," the girl shrugged.

Emily couldn't fault the child for her decision. Ellie had been through so much the last few weeks, from starting her period to being sent to live with a woman who'd forced her to buy drugs. That was enough stress and hormones to make anyone want to climb a tree for safety. "It's okay," Emily told the child, waving her hand for the girl to continue downward. "Come on, sweetheart," she coaxed, standing next to the large boulder beneath the tree.

Ellie reached for Emily's hand, but her foot caught and she slipped while trying to step onto the last branch. She felt herself plummeting toward the rocky trail.

xxx

"What were you thinking?" Derek asked his wife.

Emily sighed as she sat on an exam bed with her left arm resting on a raised table. Her wrist was throbbing with pain. Ellie's head had collided with her hand, bending her wrist backwards. But, as Emily's eyes slid across the room to where Ellie was seated beside Derek, she was glad the child's head had hit her hand and wrist rather than the boulder beneath the tree. "She could have cracked her head open," Emily defended herself.

Derek couldn't argue with that. "But what about the x-ray?" he persisted in being over-protective. "That kind of radiation can't be good for the baby."

She smiled reassuringly. Derek and Ellie hadn't joined her in the room until after the x-ray had been taken, and he was not happy, clearly. "The doctor assured me that the radiation exposure level was minimal. And he shielded me and the baby from it."

Morgan exhaled heavily. "You shouldn't have been out there in the first place."

"Really?" Emily chuckled dryly. "Is it gonna be like that now, cave man?"

He shook his head, smiling a little. "Right," he sighed in defeat. "I forgot you're super mom."

Ellie chuckled, happy to be with them both. "She is," the girl agreed, thankful that she'd only endured a few scratches from her fall out of the tree. Thanks to her mom.

The doctor entered the exam room before Emily and Derek could squabble any more. He was quick and to the point, shoving the x-ray film onto the light board and pointing to Emily's wrist. "There are no broken bones," he revealed. "Just a pretty bad sprain," he doused the light board and grabbed a stretchy bandage from a nearby cabinet. "I'm going to wrap it and you need to keep it immobile for a few days, so you should remove that bracelet," he pointed to the purple, blue and green item on her wrist.

"Sorry, I can't do that," Emily replied. "It has to stay," she insisted.

A resigned shrug came from the doctor and he obliged her wishes, wrapping the bandage around her bracelet. He gave her a sling to wear if she wanted to use it and then cleared his patient to leave. At the front desk of the ER, after signing some papers, Derek and Emily were greeted by a woman. "My name is Nancy Stevens, we spoke on the phone," she said.

"I remember," Derek nodded. "So, what happens to Ellie now?" he asked, feeling the girl pressed against his side.

"Legally, Ms. Harwood still has custodial rights to Ellie," the woman began. "Police didn't find any drugs on her person, in her vehicle or in her home. But, she failed her drug test, and she admitted to coercing a minor to procure drugs for her. The judge was lenient because Ellie never actually obtained the drugs, and Janice also agreed to enter a rehab center for at least a six month period of time. She's also agreed to sign over her legal rights to Ellie, to you," Stevens announced. "But she did make one stipulation."

xxx

Derek, Emily and Ellie entered a large room that housed a multitude of picnic tables scattered around the otherwise barren space. One of the rehab center's workers walked with them, guiding them toward the table where Janice was situated. Janice sat quietly with both hands clasped on top of the table. She wore blue sweat pants, a gray t-shirt, her hair was pulled back and she'd been stripped of all makeup. Emily barely recognized the woman, but her presence still rattled Emily's spirit.

Seeing the evidence of Janice's care, or lack thereof, reflected in Ellie's behavior had left Emily wanting to pummel the woman. And the fact that Janice still had legal rights to Ellie after all she'd done was unfathomable. But if her price for signing over custodial rights was a visit from the girl then Emily knew she had to be on her best behavior. "The papers you need to sign," Emily slid them across the table with a pen.

"Can I talk to her alone?" Janice motioned toward Ellie who was clinging to Emily's side, and had been all night and morning.

Emily's head shook. "No."

Janice nodded and turned her eyes on Ellie. "I screwed up," she started, fingers tapping nervously against the wood table. "My mom died when I was five. I don't really remember her at all, and my dad… don't even know who the hell he is," she shrugged. "I grew up in foster care, shifted from one house to the other when they got tired of having me. I was in different schools every other year and never did fit in. Then I found drugs. They made me feel free to do whatever I wanted," she spoke, catching the glare in Emily's eyes. "It was all false, though," Janice admitted. "The drug effects always wear off, and then I feel like shit."

"Watch the language," the center worker warned.

"I had family out there all my life that never knew I existed, so when I heard about you… I just thought you needed a family, Ellie," Janice sighed. "And I foolishly thought having you around would put me on the straight, you know? A family to settle me," she shrugged. "Guess I'm just too messed up to ever be straightened out."

Ellie glanced around the desolate room. "But you're here," she spoke softly. "You're trying?"

"I suppose. There's always a chance it'll stick this time," Janice shrugged again, not convinced. "Drugs are my crutch, my excuse, my family, but… you already have a family that loves you, Ellie. I took you away from that and I don't know how to say sorry for it."

"You just did," Ellie offered.

Janice nodded as she grabbed the legal documents and pen. She signed the pages that were marked and then shoved them back toward Emily. Her eyes caught on Ellie again and she smiled. It was the first genuine smile she'd experienced in a long time. "Have a good life, kid."

A smile lit Ellie's face, too, as she watched Janice get to her feet. The woman edged her way toward the door, but Ellie stopped her from leaving. "Do you think maybe I could write or call you?" the girl asked with uncertainty.

Another small, yet sincere, smile curled Janice's lips. "I think you'll have to ask your parents about that," she replied, looking to Emily for a brief moment. Janice knew saying sorry wouldn't cut it with the woman, so she quickly ducked out of the room.

Emily noticed that Ellie's quizzical hazel eyes had turned to her. She doubted anyone could change their attitude so quickly, least of all a person as cold as Janice had been. But she also believed in rebirth, in starting over. Derek and the girls had given her a new lease on life, and she couldn't help hope that Janice might actually find her way out of the hole she'd created. But she probably couldn't do it alone. "You have a good heart, Ellie. And a level head. I'll leave the decision up to you," she told the girl.

"Your mom's right," Derek agreed. "You can decide whether or not you want to stay in touch with Janice."

The girl wrapped her arms around Emily and rested her head against her mother's shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered. To Derek she had a few different words to say, "Can we go home now? I really want to see Ellie and Campbell, and grandma and grandpa, and I want to go to school again; my real school. And tell all my friends about what happened, and start helping make set decorations for the play," she rambled on.

Morgan caught Emily's eye and they both smiled, relieved to have their daughter back. "Yeah, kiddo, let's go home," he agreed.

* * *

**End**


	95. Juggle

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Juggle**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The silk robe pooled around her ankles as she stood before him, naked as she'd ever been. Not just physically, but emotionally as well.

"Emily?" he studied her eyes. They were lost in thought, distant, even as she made a move toward him, even as she pressed her body against his. "Emily?" Derek called out to her again. Worry clouded his thoughts. This first intimate encounter was a surprise to both of them, but Derek knew it was born of long-buried emotions. And now, months since her return, it seemed right. More right than anything else in his life. Yet he was still trying to help her find her way back. "Emily?"

Her eyes blinked and finally focused on him, and on what she was doing. "What?" Emily was confused by the note of concern in his tone.

"You were…" Derek's head shook a little. "…somewhere else for a moment there."

"No," the word was soft, almost dying on her lips. "Not somewhere else," Emily felt his hands reach for her waist. She closed her eyes for a second as his fingers tenderly brushed across her skin. Her flesh tingled and her hands smoothed their way over the top of his head, then down his neck. "_Someone_ else," the whisper was pressed to his left ear with her lips.

He nodded his understanding. Only a few weeks after her return from the dead she'd confided in him about how difficult it was for her to juggle between her old life and the many personas she'd taken on while hiding from Doyle. Derek had tried so many things before, ways to comfort her using words and body. But he didn't think he'd ever expressed himself fully. It seemed time to do so now. "I forgive you," he whispered.

Emily was surprised by his words, thinking surely he'd misunderstood. "I don't need your forgiveness," she tried not to sound ungrateful, but it was difficult. Second thoughts about being involved with Derek Morgan suddenly plagued her. She'd mixed business and pleasure once before, and the results of that dalliance with a man named Ian Doyle had been disastrous. After faking her own death to escape Doyle's clutches, Emily had sworn to focus on work, not pleasure.

But his deft fingertips brushed lightly over her bare shoulder, and it was hard not to desire pleasurable things in the presence of Derek Morgan. His breath was warm against her flesh, his words soft, sounding apologetic. "Emily, I don't think you understand what I meant..."

"No, apparently you still don't understand," she shot back in a defensive mode, cutting him off. Keeping people at a distance was what she did best. And as much as she wanted to completely give herself over to him, there was a line of understanding that needed to be drawn. The robe that had fallen to her feet minutes ago was quickly snatched up and drawn over her shoulders. Emily stared into his eyes and couldn't help wondering how she'd ended up with Derek at her place, and herself standing naked before him.

She'd dreaded coming home after what she'd done to her family. Emily had feared their reactions to her being alive. She'd anticipated anger, but had received nothing but hugs from most of the team. Emily had been expecting Derek to be her biggest obstacle, and for a while that held true. He'd been so quiet the first day upon her return, and then the next, and for several days after that. It was almost as if he'd been expecting her to disappear again. The guilt of that had gnawed at her.

Those first few weeks back at the BAU had been agonizing, watching him silently evaluate her every move. But then they'd been partnered on a case, like so many times before. And she'd had his back that day, like so many times before. He'd broken down his defenses afterward, revealing the truth to her by confessing to how much pain her 'death' had actually caused him. Emily had more easily let him in after that, recalling how he'd once told her she didn't let anyone in.

Now, Emily realized that she'd let Derek in because she knew history wouldn't repeat itself with him, because he was nothing like Ian Doyle. He was loyal and forgiving, though not entirely without fault. It had taken some doing even after his confession of how much he'd missed her, but he'd come to her with an apology. He'd told her how sorry he was that he'd ever doubted her; sorry that his doubt had nearly cost her life. When he was wrong he admitted as much.

But she knew he was wrong again and didn't seem to understand.

"I left _for_ you," Emily reiterated.

She thought they'd hashed it all out already, but apparently not. Emily wrapped the robe tighter about her shoulders. "I suppose you wanted me to stick around and put all of your lives in danger?" she questioned, not allowing him to get a word in. "You wanted me to sit around while Doyle went after the weakest of the pack first? Garcia… Reid… maybe even your mother and sisters," she scoffed. "Or maybe you wanted Doyle to go after Henry, or Jack… because Jack certainly hasn't endured enough these first five years of his life."

"Emily, I know why you ran and why you faked your death, but…" Morgan's tone remained calm, placating, even though her words stung deep in his chest. His hands clasped her shoulders through the silk of her blue robe. "We could've kept everyone safe, including you," he insisted.

Her eyes rolled at the unbelievable ignorance of his words. "Really?" she nearly laughed. "We couldn't even keep Haley safe," she needlessly reminded him. Her head shook with genuine regret; sorry she'd brought that other mournful chapter in the BAU's life up. "And I couldn't protect the members of my old team as Doyle took them down one at a time," she lamented, still dwelling on the false notion of safety in numbers.

Morgan sighed as he remained close to her, his hands still resting against her shoulders. "Emily," his voice was gentle again as he stared intently into the dark pools of confusion behind her eyes. "When I said I forgive you, I didn't mean about the way you left," he tried to explain himself again, hoping she'd really listen.

Emily narrowed her eyes in a scrutinizing manner as she continued to question her involvement with Derek. Maybe it was because he trusted so few people, but had easily partnered with her from the start. Or perhaps it was the way he constantly tried to protect her, but knew enough to let her have her space. And maybe it was because she didn't feel like she had to be someone else in his presence. Emily had never felt completely able to be herself before, the way she felt when he was around.

But maybe it was simply because when his hand caressed the left side of her neck, as it did now, and trailed downward, pushed aside her robe, his fingers smoothing past the curve and swell of her breast, and continued to chart a course even further south until it came to rest against the flesh of her left hip bone. Maybe it was because she felt loved in that instance, and every other moment he was nearby.

She'd missed him during her exile, missed him like some sappy female character in a romance novel. Emily had closed her eyes at night and felt his hand against hers, heard his voice in her head, heard him telling her she was going to be okay. It had gotten her to sleep many nights. Now her eyes focused on the spot where his right hand rested. Emily spied the puckered scars there that radiated outward from her hip. At the same time, Derek placed a hand against the place on her chest where Doyle had burned his mark on her.

Both of those scars were nothing compared to the ones Doyle had left upon her heart.

Derek moved his left hand down to her other hip and drew her closer. His lips pressed against her belly, feather light, tender and longing all at the same time. He was doing his level best to erase those imaginary scars from her heart, helping her juggle between the past and present, life and death, false love and true love. She relaxed further and further as he kissed every inch of alabaster skin surrounding her navel. Her eyes closed as he moved his way back up her body, softly, slowly, helping her completely discard the robe again.

Emily knew he was savoring every moment just the same as she was. And when he finally pressed his lips upon hers, she knew they had both made just a little more peace with the past. Derek Morgan with abs of steel, a tough exterior - both physical and mental - had the softest kiss she's ever experienced. Not like Brandon McCall who'd slobbered on her with his twelve-year-old mouth. Not like John Coley who'd barely cared to kiss her at all during their oh-so-brief encounter, which had carried lasting consequences to her life.

Morgan's kisses were nothing like the handful of boys she'd known in college, all rush and no substance. They weren't like Clyde's either, which had been possessive. And they were most definitely not like Doyle's kisses; passion filled, but guarded and protective. Derek kissed her with respect, gentleness, openness, and a love she'd never known before – a love she never could have imagined from him, or for herself.

"I forgive you, Emily…" he whispered against her lips, finally recalling what it was he'd meant to finish telling her. "I forgive you for making me fall in love with you."

She finally smiled, genuinely, able to hear his words at last. "Not so sure I'm sorry about that," Emily replied teasingly, more of her fears floating away. Slowly, ever so slowly, she was beginning to feel like herself again.

For months she'd donned different identities and traveled the globe, tracking a killer. Emily had wandered through those months with only one intention; to find and destroy Doyle, once and for all. And during that time she'd vowed to turn her life around if given the chance to live again. She'd vowed to finally find some semblance of happiness for herself. As Derek's hands navigated the planes of her body, she tried to steer her life toward a new course, a future worth looking forward to.

All she saw for certain in that future was the man who kissed her with nothing but love in his heart.

* * *

**End**


	96. Play

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Play**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily sat on a metal folding chair in the school gymnasium. Her parents were beside her to the left; Derek on her right. They watched as other parents and grandparents crowded into the space, along with various friends and family of the St. Ann's kids who were involved in the, very off-Broadway, play production of _The Wizard of Oz_.

"These programs are great," Emily said as she admired Michelle's simple but beautiful artwork. She was just about to flip to the inside page when Derek's hand shot across her bulging stomach and snatched the item from her.

He smiled as he watched her eyes narrow at him. "Sorry, but there's a surprise in there that you can't see yet," Derek explained his actions while keeping the program clenched in his right hand. "Not until it appears on stage," he concluded.

"What kind of surprise?" Emily asked.

Derek chuckled softly as he kissed her temple. "You'll see," the former profiler replied cryptically.

She turned to her parents, both of whom shrugged. "Well…" Emily sighed in resignation for the time being. Both hands rested atop her belly, which kept growing larger with each passing week of her pregnancy. The baby was almost constantly in motion, which Emily found surprising. She figured he'd be running out of room at the rate he was growing. "Since I can't read the program, how about we talk baby room?" she suggested.

Morgan groaned a little. It was a week before Thanksgiving, which meant the baby was due in another month and they still hadn't been able to agree on baby room décor. "You already know my thoughts on that subject. I don't want to paint my son's room black and white, Em. It's just not happening."

"But babies only see contrast for a while," she protested, the same argument they'd been having for weeks while trying to make her point. "It's good for brain development. The first five years of his life are the most important developmentally," Emily noted.

"I know that," he groaned again, having read a small sampling of the many books and articles about child rearing she'd plopped in his lap over the last few months. "But kids also need to be kids. They need to have cute, fuzzy animals and sports themes, and… they do not need programs called: Your Baby Can Read," he declared. "Parents are supposed to read to their kids those first few years, and just let them play, you know… treat them like kids, not adults. They'll have plenty time for that when they _are_ adults."

Emily sagged in her seat a little. "Okay, fine. No black and white. I suppose you have blue in mind, because he's a boy."

"There's nothing wrong with blue," Derek defended the color. "It's the color of the sky and sea, and lots of girls like blue," he pointed out in a less defensive tone as he smiled at his wife. "Besides, I don't care so much about the color, as long as I can paint a football field on one wall, and push his crib right up against the fifty yard line," Derek nodded with satisfaction at the thought of that plan.

Her eyes stared blankly at him for a moment. "I'm not exactly sure what a fifty yard line is, but… no," she shook her head.

He laughed. "Okay, no football field. How about just blue walls, and… maybe the girls can do some special artwork for him," Derek's eyes lit as an idea took shape. "They could create an aquarium theme for him. That'd be sweet."

"Hmm," Emily thought it over for a second. "I kind of like that idea."

Derek slapped one hand against his chest, his mouth hanging open in mock astonishment. "Did we actually just agree on something?"

"Very funny," she rolled her eyes.

"If I might interject," Joe Prentiss spoke up from his seat nearby. "I think the aquarium idea is a good one," he offered.

Liz nodded her agreement. "And including the girls is a lovely sentiment," she added.

"We even have your parent's approval on our agreement," Derek noted. "This is a truly momentous occasion."

"Oh, shut up," Emily playfully slapped his shoulder. Then she leaned over and kissed him for good measure.

As the overhead lights dimmed and the curtain opened, Emily happily aimed her attention toward the stage. It was decorated with tall cardboard backdrops that depicted the never-ending corn crops of Kansas. The scenery had been envisioned by Michelle, who'd grown up in the area, and brought to life by Ellie with Derek's help. It was lovely in its simplicity. And a few seconds later, it was brightened by Michelle herself, dressed in a blue and white gingham dress, her dark hair braided down her back, a basket in her left hand, and a very large yellow Labrador on a leash beside her.

The background sounds reflected a storm brewing; clangs of thunder and a whistling wind. "Toto, I think we need to get home quickly. That storm sounds like a big one, and it's getting closer," Michelle spoke her first few lines. "Auntie Em will be worried about us!" she exclaimed as she and Campbell trotted off stage.

A laughing audience applauded as the set changed a little to reveal an old farmhouse, which Emily thought looked quite a lot like the house Michelle had grown up in those first few years of her life. The set movement was quick and efficient, all without seeing who was behind the scenes. But Emily knew Ellie was heading up the set production, and seeming to do a great job of it. The girl had transitioned well back into life after a short stint with her cousin.

Ellie attended weekly sessions with a school therapist, but she also spoke openly with Derek and Emily about what had happened in Denver. The things she'd seen and done all spilled forth with relative ease as the child leaned on the support of her family. They spoke openly with both girls about drugs, learning that Ellie had been offered drugs by Billy Flynn during her very long night with that monster. They'd also learned of some older kids at St. Ann's who'd offered them cigarettes and beer.

Much to Emily and Derek's pleasure, both girls displayed a strong opinion on such matters; mainly that they never wanted to try those things and had boldly refused the offers. Both parents had a feeling at least alcohol would be tried at some juncture of their lives, but hopefully not for many years yet. But, all in all, they had two very level-headed girls. And, as Emily rubbed her stomach once again, she prayed her son would be just as sensible and spirited as his sisters.

She leaned toward her husband and whispered. "I take it Campbell as Toto is the surprise you mentioned?"

"Perfect casting, don't you think?" Derek grinned.

Emily smiled and nodded, both amused and proud of her creative family. She sat back, ready to enjoy the rest of the play.

* * *

**End**


	97. Judge

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Judge**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

There was excited chatter and kids running circles around the compact store. Emily was a little overwhelmed by all the children and parents weaving around the bustling space. She guessed that was probably something she'd have to get used to, though, especially with two, almost, teen-aged girls and a baby on the way. The item in her arms was clutched a little closer as she wound her way through the maze to where Derek was still a few stages behind her in the creative process.

"How you doing there?" she asked, standing beside him and looking over her shoulder to make sure both girls were still in sight range. Emily's attention drifted back to her husband and she grinned when he held his stuffed animal aloft. "Is that a puppy dog wearing a Yoda costume?" she questioned.

He nodded, unabashed. "Grew up watching Star Wars," Derek replied as his left hand reached out to caress his wife's belly. "I made this for our boy," he added.

"I do love your nerdy side," Emily's smile grew as he planted a quick kiss on her lips. "Have the girls picked yet?" she asked when they pulled apart.

"Not sure," Derek shrugged, taking her hand in his. "Shall we go and see?" he suggested as he led her through what appeared to be another birthday group, although a much larger one than their gang of four. At least half a dozen kids and their accompanying parents were crowded around the stuffed animal bins.

Michelle jumped in front of them and held her green stuffed animal out for them to see. "It's a frog," she declared, as if it weren't obvious by the color and dangly legs. "It was the only real watery type animal I could find here." The girl eyed her frog for a moment with a contemplative stare. "I think I'm going to name him Hopsy, and dress him in a tuxedo," she chuckled at the idea.

"Whatever works for you, chaton," Emily grinned.

Ellie joined them a few moments later. She was carrying a stuffed gray cat in her arms, which had a pink nose and bits of pink in its ears. "I don't know why, but she was just too cute to pass up," the girl explained her choice with a shrug of one shoulder. "But there are so many different outfits to choose from. I'm not sure what this cat should be," she shrugged. "A ballerina, or maybe a nurse or doctor…"

"Take your time," Derek replied as he pointed to the back wall where most of the clothing was aligned. "Why don't you two go and see if you can settle on something; or maybe a couple different outfits for each of you," he caved.

"Really?" Ellie's eyes lit and her arms wrapped around him. "Thanks, dad."

"Come on," Michelle tugged on her sister's arm. "Let's go before he changes his mind on the two outfit rule."

When the girls were out of ear shot, Emily turned to her husband. "You're gonna spoil them," her tone wasn't stern, but somewhat concerned.

He shrugged off her worry, dragging his wife toward a display with small sunglasses, toy cell phones and other miniature accoutrements. "I figure if, after everything she's been through the last few years, she still wants to spend her twelfth birthday at a Build-a-Bear…" another shrug raised his shoulder. "That's pretty good right? She's still a kid under it all. And why not spoil her a little on her birthday."

"Fair enough," Emily nodded.

"So…" Derek aimed his eyes toward the stuffed animal being smuggled against her chest. "What do you have there?"

Emily slowly peeled the bear away, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "Well…" she held the bear for him to see more clearly. "He's got caramel brown fur, a red t-shirt, black pants and black boots. Who does he look like to you?"

"I… really couldn't say," his head shook.

"It's you," she declared.

Derek was surprised. "Me? You made a mini-me in bear form?" His confusion turned to amusement. "But you've got the real thing right here," he pointed to his chest. "Any time you want," Derek added with a wink.

Her smile deepened. "Yes, but this little guy is portable. After the baby is born and I get back to work I can take him with me into the field, in my go bag," she explained. "He can sleep with me in those big, lonely hotel beds."

"Motherhood hormones have made you go soft, Em," Derek replied with a grin.

She sighed. "I know… it's disgusting, right?"

"Little bit," he teased.

"But look at this," Emily overcame her embarrassment quite quickly as she revealed the document she'd folded and placed in her purse. "This says that Derek Morgan belongs to me."

He glanced at the paper item and noted that the bear's name was indeed, Derek Morgan. "Well…" he looked into Emily's eyes. "No denying that. But I think it already says the same thing on our marriage license," he chuckled.

Emily swatted his arm, but the ringing of her cell phone interrupted their playful moment. She pulled the object free from her purse and noticed her mother's name and number on the screen. Her brows arched in a questioning manner as she answered. "Hello," she maintained a cheery tone due to the day's relaxing manner. "Um, yeah…" she listened to her mother, slightly confused by the cryptic tone in the older woman's voice. "Okay, right now?"

Morgan was a little concerned by the look on his wife's face as she spoke to her mother. She ended the call with more confusion than when she'd answered. "What is it? Something wrong?"

"Not sure," Emily replied, stowing her phone and guiding Derek toward the girls. "She wants us all to meet her at the courthouse."

xxx

Judge Randal Ivanrode's chambers were not grand, but larger than most offices. The man sat behind his desk in a dark gray suit. His hair was completely white, but still thick and covering the entirety of his head. He wore glasses toward the end of his nose as he regarded the papers in front of him. Emily stood beside Derek, clasping his hand, still not sure what was going on. Her mother and father stood nearby. They looked at ease, though, obviously aware of more than they were letting on. Ellie and Michelle were the only ones sitting, each of them in a large arm chair right in front of the judge.

The judge sat back a little. "Emily and Derek Morgan," he addressed. "It states here that you intend to adopt these two young ladies." Two nods came in agreement to that statement. The old man's eyes settled more firmly on Emily. "I worked with your mother many years ago. You were younger than these two are now, I doubt you remember me."

"Sorry, no…" Emily's head shook slightly. "Sir," she added as an afterthought. Her parents, mainly her mother, had always insisted she address people with proper respect.

"Not a problem," the judge smiled. "Your mother asked me to look over these adoption papers for you, see if I could push them alone a little faster through the system. Everything seems to be in order here, home inspections and all that check out." The judge leaned forward. "So…" he eyed Derek and Emily again. "Is it your intention to become the legal, adoptive parents of the two minor children as stated in these papers?"

"It is, sir," Emily nodded.

"Very much," Derek added.

Ivanrode smiled again as his gaze slid to the girls. "And it is it your wish to have these two as your legal, adoptive parents?" he asked of them.

"They're already our mom and dad," Michelle replied. "With or without some paper to say so."

Ellie did her best not to laugh. "What she means is, yes," the older girl declared.

A small chuckle escaped the judge's lips as he signed the necessary pages. "These will just need to be filed. I'll make sure my clerk takes care of it."

"That's it?" Derek asked.

The judge nodded. "It will take a few weeks to process, but with the copy I give you, you'll be able to walk out today as legal guardians of both girls. However, I also see forms for their legal name changes," he noted. His eyes regarded Ellie first. "Elizabeth, do you wish to legally change your last name to reflect that of your adoptive parents? Or would you prefer some combination of Spicer and Morgan?"

She seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "Can I be Ellie Kristen Morgan? Is that okay?" her eyes went from the judge to her parents. "I don't think I need to be Spicer, because my dad wouldn't mind. I don't think. He'd just want me to be happy with you guys now, and having your name makes me happy because it makes us a family. And I'll always have my dad with me no matter what, right?"

"That's right, kiddo," Derek nodded, immensely proud to call her his daughter. It had been a long process, and one he'd been afraid of for some time. But as he stood in the judge's chambers with Emily and their two daughters, he wasn't afraid any more.

Emily silently agreed with Ellie and Derek as she placed a hand against her niece's shoulder. "What about you, chaton? Have you settled on something?"

"I just want to be Michelle Elizabeth Morgan," the girl stated.

That name, more than anything, caused Emily to tear up. She couldn't help recall one of the last things she and her sister had discussed before Anna's death. Anna had insisted that someday in the future her daughter would bare the last name Morgan. "Good choice," she finally whispered to the child.

"You're all finished here," Ivanrode proclaimed.

"Really?" Derek questioned.

The judge nodded. "Well, aside from a lifetime of parenting ahead of you, yes."

There were handshakes and hugs all around, including a very sincere one shared between Emily and her mother. "I don't know how to thank you for this," Emily told the woman. There was a time she never thought she's come to love her mother so much. And there were still distances between them, but they'd come a long way in a few short years. Emily hoped that path would only prove to continue as smoothly.

"You could invite us to that…" Liz looked to her granddaughters for a second, searching her memory. "What did you call it, build a… something place?"

"It's called Build-a-Bear, grandma," Ellie replied, easily slipping into her new role in the family. "And I think I know what I want my cat to be now," she added, looking to both her parents. They'd had to leave the store before either girl could settle on a costume for their stuffed animals. "I need to find her some kind of judge outfit," Ellie concluded.

* * *

**End**


	98. Old

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Old**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

The Christmas tree lights were on, even though Christmas was already five days past. But Derek had insisted the tree not be taken down until after New Year's. And since Emily was in no condition to help, she was fine to wait until he cleared it away. Truth be told, it added extra warmth to their already cozy living space. The others gathered with her added to that feeling as well. Emily watched from her seat on the sofa as Fran and the girls played a game of _Sorry_. Ellie, always a rather quiet child, nearly jumped out of her seat as she kicked her sister's green piece back to the start.

"Sorry!" Ellie exclaimed.

As Campbell jumped onto the sofa and curled his huge furry body up beside Emily, she could tell the older girl was anything but sorry. It seemed the only time Ellie's competitive streak came out was while playing board games. But she was more often than not the champ, and Emily delighted in seeing her so caught up in the activity. It seemed the child had come out of her shell even more so since the adoption papers had become official record. Emily kind of hated that it took a piece of paper for that to happen, but she welcomed it nonetheless. What she didn't welcome any longer were the tiny feet crammed into her rib cage. And no amount of massaging her belly seemed to help.

"You okay?" Derek asked from his spot across the sofa. "You're wincing again. Is that labor?"

Her head shook. "I doubt it," she responded dismally. "Junior is just making himself comfy at my expense… again. Considering he's already a week overdue, I don't think he ever plans to come out of there," Emily lamented as she continued to gently rub her overly swollen belly.

"Well, according to the doctor, junior is coming out Monday morning whether he likes it or not," Derek reminded her, placing a hand against her rounded stomach.

She sneered at the reminder and aimed her words toward her stomach. "I do not want to be cut open, you hear that?" Emily asked her unborn son. "Please don't start life by making mommy mad, okay? Deal?"

Derek chuckled as he rose to his feet and kissed her cheek. "You want some tea, or maybe some popcorn?" he offered.

"Yes, please," Emily replied.

He laughed, amused by how she'd answered his either or question. Derek turned toward the small table where his mom and the girls sat. "Mama, how about a cup of tea?"

"Yes, please, thank you," Fran replied without even looking away from the board game.

As he moved toward the kitchen a smile remained settled on his face. Having his mom around for the holidays was great, although he knew it was more about her wanting to be there when the baby was born. But he could live with that if it meant having her close for a little bit longer. He flipped the switch on their electric kettle to start the water boiling then he grabbed two ceramic mugs and placed tea bags inside each. He was growing more accustomed to the domestic life, even though it had been a bit of an adjustment at first. He loved working on old houses, he adored the girls, and he was looking forward to taking care of his son as well, but it was still quite a different pace of life than being part of the BAU.

The hot air popcorn popper was just about warmed up and ready when the ring of a phone came from across the kitchen. Derek knew the ringtone instantly, even before his wife bellowed from the other room. "Derek, that's my phone… would you grab it?" Emily asked.

His head nodded, even though she couldn't see him. Derek snatched up the cell and answered merrily when he noticed it was his mother-in-law. But the smile on his face fell as he carefully listened to what the woman had to say. His stomach was tied in knots by the time he ended the call. The kettle signaled it was done with a dull click, and the popcorn popper continued to whirl noisily in the background as Derek made his way back into the living room. He stood before his wife for a long moment, uncertain how to deliver the bad news.

"What's wrong?" Emily asked before her husband could speak.

"Your dad's in the hospital," he knew there was no way to sugar coat it. Derek caught sight of his mother and daughters, suddenly silent as they turned heads and overheard the conversation. "He had a heart attack," Derek continued. "But he's still… your mom said they've taken him to surgery. He's still alive."

It took Emily quite some time to extract herself from the sofa to a standing position, but once she was up she stared Derek in the eye. "I want to go to the hospital."

He knew that was going to be the case. "Em, your mom said not to worry you. She said she'll call back with any news as soon as…"

"I'm already worried, Derek," she cut him off. "I can either worry here or there. And I'd rather be there with them."

"Okay," he nodded then turned. "Mom, you'll stay with the girls?"

"Of course," Fran agreed without hesitation.

xxx

Beige walls with bad landscape artwork adorned the small waiting room. Other than that there were a few chairs and magazines, but nothing of a comforting nature. Not that Emily really wanted to be comforted at the moment as she walked from the door to the far side of the room and back again. She, Derek and her mother were the only ones there. The hospital was actually amazingly quiet, almost eerily so. But even the quiet space could not seem to calm Emily. All she could think about was Anna. The last place she'd ever seen her sister alive was in a hospital. And it was the place her sister had died.

"Emily, have a seat," Derek beckoned from his spot in a chair near the door. "Please," he added worriedly.

She paced once more but stopped at the door, turned, and sunk down into the chair between her mother and husband. "He's not old enough for a heart attack," she breathed out. "Is he?" The room swallowed her question, no response. "I guess I blinked and he got old," Emily lamented all the time she'd lost with her parents. They'd grieved for Anna so long that they'd inadvertently pushed their other daughter away, and she'd let them. But now, all Emily could think about was the story her father had told her about babysitting her and Anna the night her sister had gone missing. He'd been a good father back then, willingly watching over his children. And he'd been a good father and grandfather the last few years.

"People are having heart attacks younger and younger these days," Derek finally replied; positive he'd heard Reid recite some sort of statistic to support that fact at one point in the recent past.

"And your father certainly did his fair share to contribute to this heart attack," Liz spoke for the first time since they'd arrived, at least to say anything more than regurgitating what the doctors and nurses had told her about her husband's condition. "There was a time he drank far too much, and smoked," she lamented. "He still sneaks a cigarette when he thinks I'm not aware."

Even though Emily heard her mother complaining about her father's behavior, she could also hear a note of love and concern the likes she'd never know from her mother. At least not since the day they'd all said their goodbye's to Anna. Liz straightened her back and spoke again. "Did you hear they have some new cure for Leukemia?" she asked. "Still in the early stages of testing, but it's completely cured three people," the older woman noted in a clinical manner. Her tone quickly turned melancholy as she went on. "If only they'd had it two years ago, maybe…"

"Mom, don't go there. Please…" Emily stopped her mother from bringing Anna further into their thoughts. It was hard not to think about her, though. She felt Derek grasp her hand and give it a comforting squeeze. It was almost like he'd read her mind, and she loved him ten times over for knowing her so well. She rubbed her back without much thought to the pain that throbbed there.

"Ten minutes," Derek said.

"Excuse me?" Emily turned to him with a questioning gaze.

He smiled softly and waved a hand at her belly. "We've been here for just over an hour, and every ten minutes you rub your back and wince a little," Derek observed. "I really think you're in labor."

"Don't be silly, of course I'm not in labor," Emily insisted. "I'm just worried about my dad."

"Emily…" Derek began again, trying to keep a calm tone with her. "How many books have you read about labor and delivery since you found out you were pregnant?" he asked.

She shrugged. "A few, I guess."

A laugh escaped his lips. "Right, try a few dozen," Derek corrected her. "And what do all those books say? What are some of the signs of labor?"

Another shrug raised her shoulders. "Contractions, water breaking, back pain…" she sighed, still trying to play it off as stress and worry in regard to her father. But when she thought back to the last five or six hours, even while at home, Emily began to realize he was on to something. "Crap," she whispered. Her hand rubbed her belly again. "You wait all week and now you want to come out?" she asked the baby.

Despite the seriousness of her husband's condition, Liz managed a soft chuckle in response to her daughter's lament. "Go," the older woman said. "Find a doctor and be sure," she insisted. "I'll be here for your father, but he'd want you to take care of yourself and the baby, first and foremost," she concluded.

Knowing her mother was right, Emily actually agreed without further protest. She allowed Derek to play the nervous father-to-be, carefully holding on to one of her arms and guiding her down the hospital corridors like she was made of glass. She even calmly waited to be admitted, even though she was still worried about her dad. A half hour later, Emily was lying in a hospital bed, ugly gown on with fetal monitor hooked up. Eventually a petite nurse in pink scrubs came to check on them. She watched the monitor readout for a while before finally ripping off part of the printout. Her smile was overly sweet.

"You're definitely in labor," the nurse declared.

* * *

**End**


	99. New

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**New**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

Emily watched him watching her as they walked at a snail's pace down the maternity ward corridor. He held her hand through a contraction when it hit half way back to her room. The contractions weren't horrible, or at least not as bad as she'd been expecting, but she was still in the earlier stages of labor. In fact, she'd been stuck at three centimeters dilated for hours. Nearly twelve hours to be somewhat exact. She kept her breathing at an even keel as they continued to walk after the contraction, but Emily couldn't stand his quiet inspection of her any longer. "What?" she finally broke the silence that had fallen between them.

"How are you?" he asked.

"Fine," Emily bit off the words quickly, and not very convincingly.

He shook his head at her. "I once thought my mom and my sisters were the most stubborn women I'd ever meet. But you proved me wrong," Derek said as he leaned closer and pressed a kiss against her temple. As he retreated his eyes resumed their worried stance. "You don't look fine to me. You look worried."

"I'm tired," she admitted. "And upset about my dad."

Derek gave her hand a quick squeeze. "But you talked to your mom. He's out of surgery and is even conscious." Joe had made it through the bi-pass surgery and was in recovery. The first few hours they'd monitored him closely as he came out of the anesthesia. But all seemed to be well according to the reports they'd been getting.

"In and out," Emily countered. "I should be there for both of them. But no, _your_ son decided to pick now, of all times, to be born." She rubbed her swollen tummy and sighed. "And taking his own sweet time doing it," she lamented as they reached the door to her room.

Fran was standing by the bed when they arrived. She wore an amused smile on her face, having overheard the last bit of their conversation. "Didn't I ever tell you that I was in labor with Derek for thirty-seven hours?" the woman spoke as she helped her son guide Emily back to bed.

Eyes wide, Emily asked, "It can take that long?" Her tone was softer than usual. "Derek took that long? I guess I always figured he would have come out in a big hurry, already wearing running shoes," she managed to joke.

Morgan and his mother chuckled. "Nope, he was my longest and toughest birth."

"And you think I'm stubborn," Emily waved a finger at her husband. "How are the girls?" she asked her mother-in-law, changing the subject in hopes talk of Derek's long birth would not influence her son's birthing process. It was silly thinking, but wishful nonetheless. "Are they okay with Garcia and Kevin?"

"If by okay you mean being spoiled rotten by their auntie…" Fran nodded. "Then yes, they're doing great." She bent over and kissed her daughter-in-law's cheek. "And now that I know you are still doing well, and in good hands," she winked at her son. "I'm going back to sit with Liz."

Grateful beyond reasoning that Fran was sticking close to her mother and father, Emily smiled. "How is he doing?"

"Good," Fran nodded. "Actually the doctors are going to have him sitting up soon."

"Really?" Derek was surprised by that news.

Fran nodded again. "They want him up and moving as soon as possible, keep his circulation in good shape." She kissed her son. "You'll call my cell the second this baby decides to do something more, right?"

"You got it," Morgan agreed as he watched his mother slip out the open door. When he turned his attention back to Emily he watched a tear rolling down her cheek. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked while swiping the saline from her face.

"Nothing," she whispered hoarsely. "Just… you have such a great mom. And I…"

Remembering that he'd read about how much a woman's emotions fluctuated while in labor, Derek did his best to tread lightly around his wife. But he was concerned and couldn't hide that fact. "I don't think you're fine, Em. And I don't think it's just worry about your dad."

She shrugged a little. "It's just the same stuff I've been worried about for a long time, and I'm not going to tell you because you'll think it's silly and tell me not to worry. And I don't want to sound like a broken record and…"

"Em," he stopped her. Derek looked her in the eye. "You can tell me anything, as many times as you want. If it's bothering you then… please," he implored.

"I'm never going to be a good mom like Fran," she said.

"That's silly, of course you will." Morgan wasn't all that surprised by her revelation, because she had voiced similar concerns before. "Okay, granted she's had a lot more years of experience in this mom business than you, but…"

"What if I don't put his diaper on right and he gets a rash or something?" Emily didn't let him finish. "What if I accidently put two percent milk in his bottle rather than formula? Or what if I can't line up all those snaps on the pajamas we bought for him? There are a lot of snaps on those things."

Derek couldn't help the laughter that escaped upon hearing her lament about baby garment snaps. She did have a point there, though. Those things did have a lot of snaps. One hand brushed gently over her dark hair and he kissed her forehead. "He's not going to care about any of those things. Besides, there are creams for diaper rash and we can re-snap until we get his pajamas on right," Derek tried to calm her fears. "And I thought you were going to give breast feeding a shot?"

"You think I'm crazy?" she asked, dodging his question.

"Nah," his head shook. "You know what he's going to care about? He's going to care about the way you hold him close against your chest, just like you've been carrying him around all these months keeping him safe. And he's going to care about the way you kiss him a hundred times a day like I know you will. And he's going to care about the gentle, understanding way you talk to him. Just like you do with the girls," Derek assured her. "I've told you this before, but I'll keep telling you… you're already a good mom."

She was touched by his words, the same as always. "But, I really can't sing a lullaby to save my life."

"I once heard you sing that French song with Michelle," he reminded her. "It was the night Anna died. You comforted her that night when no one else could have. And you'll do the same for our son. I know you will." When he kissed her again it was fully on the lips, lingering and loving.

They were interrupted by a brief knock and the sudden entrance of Emily's doctor. The woman headed straight for Emily to check how she was. "Nurse Helen says you haven't been progressing," doctor Maygra noted as she moved to take a look at the fetal monitor. "And baby's heart rate is down again," she informed them with a sympathetic tone, having already warned them what might happen if the labor didn't progress as smoothly as it should.

"But within normal?" Emily asked.

"Barely," Maygra replied, sensing she might be in for a fight. "And I don't see signs of it improving with time. Your baby is definitely in some distress and you're not making any improvement, not even with the Pitocin," she noted. "Now, I know it seems like more and more doctors are quick to suggest C-sections, but I assure you I am not one of them. You can check my records if you like," the doctor informed them. "I assure you will find a higher number of natural births. But I am telling you right now, in all honestly, a C-section is the best course of action for you and your baby."

Emily felt she'd become a pretty good judge of character over the years. And she'd sought doctor Maygra out and trusted the woman a great deal, especially after she'd performed the amniocentesis months ago. As much as she'd wanted to avoid surgery of any sort, Emily wanted her baby to be safe. "What do you think?" she asked her husband.

"I think we should trust doctor Maygra," he quickly offered a response.

She nodded her agreement and aimed her gaze upon the doctor again. "Can Derek be there?"

Doctor Maygra smiled. "We'll get you prepped and he'll have to scrub up, but then he can be in there the whole time with you as long as there are no complications," she promised. "He can even cut the cord if all goes well."

The mention of complications gave Emily a slight pause, but she appreciated the doctor's complete honesty. "Okay, let's do this…"

Derek took his wife's hand, giving it a quick kiss. "See," he whispered for her ears only. "You're already making the right decisions for your son."

xxx

She could feel his eyes on her again, but this time Emily didn't mind. And she could barely take her eyes off the baby in her arms. A C-section hadn't been her first choice for welcoming baby boy Morgan to the world, but it turned out to be best for all involved. The baby's nine pound, eight ounce body far outweighed what the ultra sounds had been telling them. And his distressed heart rate had stabilized as soon as he'd taken his first few breaths and been able to stretch out his long legs. He didn't feel that heavy at all, though, at least not to the captivated new mother.

Emily wasn't feeling much of anything other than complete awe, love and adoration for her newborn son. "You are daddy's boy, aren't you?" she asked in a hushed tone as the fingertips of her left hand brushed over the baby's mop of dark hair. His caramel-hued skin was softer than any she'd felt before, and his little lips were pursed in the cutest way as he slept soundly against her chest. The only mark of imperfection was a purple-green colored bruise which covered most of his right ear. Although Emily still blamed herself for the mark, the doctor assured them it would heal up quickly. "No, sir… there will be no denying who your daddy is," her head shook.

Derek felt a swell of pride fill his chest as he listened to Emily talk to the sleeping newborn. Even after all the preparations they'd made in the past several months, nothing could have prepared him for the first glimpse of his son as he'd been pulled free from Emily's body in the operating room. The emotional aftermath was still sticking close as he felt himself near tears every time he held or glanced at the baby, although Emily had certainly done the majority of the holding. And rightfully so, considering all the hard work she'd done to bring their baby boy in to the world. "How you feeling?" Derek asked her.

"A little sore," she admitted. "But I'd be willing to feel ten times this sore for my little guy," Emily insisted.

He smiled at that, knowing the truth of her words. Because he'd endure any pain necessary for all three of his kids. "Well, if you're up for it, I know there are a few people in the hall who would really like to come in. In fact, I think my mom might actually beat the door down in a few seconds if she doesn't get to see him soon."

Emily chuckled. "Let them in," she instructed, not thinking anything could dampen her happy mood. She knew soon enough they'd be back home, on their own with an infant who'd no doubt be keeping them up till all hours of the night. But Emily had faith they'd find a way to deal with all that when it happened. For now she was going to ride the wave of happiness and complete love she was experiencing.

Derek opened the door and ushered his mother and the girls inside the room. Fran and Ellie headed straight toward the bed where Emily was propped up by a mountain of pillows. "Oh, my goodness… would you look at him," Fran's face was split ear-to-ear by a satisfied grin. "He is perfect," she crowed like any self-respecting grandparent would. "But what happened here?" Fran noticed the baby's ear.

"The doctor said he was probably pressed against by pubic bone for a long time," Emily replied with a twinge of regret and guilt.

"If you waited a little longer he could have been the first baby born in the New Year and they would have done a news story," Ellie spoke up, a little uncertain about approaching the baby. But Derek put a hand to the girl's back and escorted her even closer to Emily's side so she could get a better look at her new brother.

"Ha, like I wanted to wait any longer," Emily scoffed. "I'm more than happy for him to have a New Year's Eve birthday and no cameras in my hospital room," she added, holding the baby up a little for Ellie to get a better look. She glanced around the room and spotted Michelle still holding tight to the wall just inside the room. "What are you doing way over there, chaton?" Emily called. "Don't you want to see the baby?"

Michelle edged toward the bed, slowly and cautiously. When she finally got within striking range she wrapped her arms around Emily's neck and held on for dear life, burying her head against her mother's shoulder. Emily was alarmed by the girl's behavior and easily handed the baby off to an eagerly waiting Fran. "Hey, what's wrong?" Emily asked as she embraced the girl, hearing tiny sobs emit from her daughter's throat. She rubbed Michelle's back, hoping the child would tell her what was going on.

It took several minutes for Michelle to finally let go enough to look at her mother. "Grandma Fran told us you were going to have surgery and I was really scared. And Grandpa Joe had surgery, too, and we can't go see him yet. He almost died and I thought you were going to die, too," she revealed.

Emily's heart broke as Michelle collapsed against her again. One of the last times Michelle was in a hospital had been to say goodbye to her mother. "I'm so sorry you didn't understand what was going on, chaton. But I'm fine and so is the baby. And grandpa is doing really well, too. I'm sure you'll be able to see him real soon."

"I can even take you to see him in a few minutes," it was Liz's voice who spoke from across the room. She moved toward the gathering at Emily's bed and placed a hand against Michelle's back. "Grandpa really wants to see you, too. He's been asking about his peanut, and his peach," she looked to Ellie. "And about his new grandson," Liz added, finally catching her first glimpse of the baby that Fran was holding.

Derek's mom handed the baby over to his other grandmother. "Sorry he looks so much like our side at the moment," Fran joked. "Maybe he'll grow out of it."

Liz smiled down at the baby and then turned her eyes upon Emily. "He's beautiful," she whispered. Moments later she settled the infant back into his mother's arms and then kissed her daughter's forehead. "I'm so proud of you, Emily. And so is your father. He's been asking about you as well."

The lump in Emily's throat caused a few tears to spill forth. She pushed them aside with one finger and concentrated on happy news. Holding the baby a little closer to Michelle, she made some proper introductions. "This is your brother," she said.

"What's his name?" the youngest Morgan girl asked.

Morgan and Emily caught each other's eye and they both shrugged. "He really doesn't look like any of the names we were considering," Derek spoke up first.

"I know," Emily agreed.

"Maybe we could name him Parker," Ellie suggested from where she was rooted to Emily's other side.

"Why do you like that name?" Derek asked.

Ellie remained confident about her suggestion, having found strength to speak her mind among her new family. "Because the park in San Diego is kind of where we all first became a family."

"And there's the park we always go to here," Michelle added, catching on to her sister's train of thought.

"And the park we stopped at when I told you I wanted to go home with you," Ellie jumped in again. "Also, there's the park I ran to in Denver after Janice made me go inside that creepy house. And mom found me there and saved me from hitting my head on that rock," she rambled off the memories. "Parks seem to be the glue that connect us all, and now he's going to connect us all too," she concluded, reaching out to gently touch the baby's soft hair.

"I like it," Michelle agreed.

Derek smiled. "Seems they have it all figured out for us," he informed his wife.

"Great," Emily sleepily drawled, suddenly feeling the last few days crashing in on her. "Then they can handle the late night feedings too."

"No!" both girls exclaimed.

"How about diapers, anyone here know how to change a diaper?" Emily asked, fighting to stay awake.

"I do," Ellie replied in all seriousness. "Dan and Beth were potty training Cameron when I lived with them, but he still wore diapers and I changed them sometimes. It's not so hard."

"Great, we have our diaper changer…" Emily teased even as her eyelids began to close. She was completely out a few seconds later.

Morgan happily took the baby from her and flashed an appreciative look toward his mother when she offered to take the girls for ice cream at the hospital's café. Liz also ducked out to return to Joe's bedside. Derek remained standing nearby his wife while he held his son, looking between the two of them and wondering how he'd gotten so lucky. His eyes then focused toward the ceiling for a moment as thoughts of his father filled his head. "I hope I can do half as good a job at this dad thing as you did," he whispered.

xxx

It was the morning of January second when Emily got the okay to leave the hospital. She tried not to put up too much of a fight at the fact she needed to be wheeled out of the hospital. She was still worn out from hours of labor and then surgery, and getting into some kind of rhythm of being woken up at night several times either by nurses or the baby needing her. But the baby had been an amazingly calm little guy so far, and both she and Derek prayed that continued. Derek was pushing the wheel chair, given the go ahead from the nurse. He made a detour to the sixth floor and emerged into the hospital's cardiac care wing. "Derek, I don't think we can…"

"Your mother already had it approved by your dad's doctor and nurses," he promptly assured her, peeking over her shoulder to see the baby was asleep. "They know we're on our way," he added as a nurse waved them over to the third door in the smaller critical care section. Derek followed her and wheeled his wife and son into Joe's room.

They were both surprised to see the man sitting up in bed and looking amazingly alert and cheery. He had drainage tubes affixed to his chest, a catheter and an IV. Emily could even see the top few inches of the scar on his chest as Derek wheeled her in, but his color was good and so was his demeanor as he greeted them. "It's about time you came to visit me," Joe teasingly chastised his daughter and son-in-law.

"Sorry about that," Derek replied as he shook his father-in-law's hand.

"They were a little bit busy," Liz spoke up from her chair on the other side of her husband's bed. She nodded toward the baby.

Joe caught sight of the newborn in Emily's arms and fell silent. "Wow…" he was overcome by the child. "Two granddaughters and now a grandson," Joe shook his head. "I never thought I'd live to see the day." He looked up to see Emily nearly in tears. "Hey, pumpkin, it was just a joke," he tried to smooth over his comment.

"I was so worried about you, daddy," she croaked as Derek positioned her wheelchair right beside Joe's bed.

"I'm gonna leave you four alone for a minute," Derek said as he slipped out of the room.

"Actually," Liz got to her feet. "I think I'll let the three of you have some private time," she said, excusing herself from the room as well.

Joe had really only been able to focus on the way his daughter had said the word daddy, and he had trouble keeping his tears at bay. "I'm a pretty tough old guy," he insisted, hoping to ease her worries. "Besides, I think you put your mother and me through a lot worse than this during your teenaged years," he grinned.

She smiled at that and held the baby out so her father could get a better look. The baby opened his right eye then closed it again. After another second he opened his left eye and then his right. His lips moved in a sucking motion as he wriggled his left hand free from the swaddling. The little boy reached toward his grandfather and Joe slipped one meaty finger into the baby's small grasping hand. "His name is Parker Joseph," Emily revealed to her father.

"Is that a fact?" Joe beamed.

"But I didn't name him after you so you can die on me," Emily regained her composure, swearing under her breath that motherhood was seriously messing with her emotions. "I expect you to make a full recovery and get out of here so you can take this little guy to baseball games, and take him fishing, or whatever it is that grandfathers do with their grandsons. The girls and this little guy, they all need you in their life."

A quick nod came from the older man. "I have every intention of sticking around for them," Joe vowed. "And I can't wait until I get to hold little PJ," the man bestowed his grandson with a nickname, the same as he'd done for his granddaughters.

"Sorry he takes after the Morgan side so much," Emily said, though she smiled at the same time. "If I hadn't carried him all those months, been in labor for over twelve hours and then watched as they pulled him out of me, I'd be tempted to think he wasn't mine."

Her father smiled. "But his eyes are yours," Joe noticed.

"You think so?" Emily asked while studying her son closer.

The man nodded. "I remember the day you were born," he told her. "I held you for a long time and looked into those very same eyes. I had a feeling then that you were going to do something very special with your life. At the time I was thinking about what careers you might take on, but now I know that this…" he pointed toward the boy. "Being a mother to PJ, Michelle and Ellie… that is what you were meant to do. It will be your most important job," he let her know. "Protect them."

Emily nodded, knowing he still carried the regret of not being able to stop Anna's kidnapping all those years ago. "I will," she whispered.

"Good," he nodded in satisfaction. "You should take him home now, he doesn't need to see any more of this hospital," Joe insisted.

"I love you, daddy," Emily said as she held her son close again and leaned to kiss her father's cheek.

"Love you too, pumpkin," Joe replied.

xxx

Campbell paced back and forth in front of the baby's nursery. He stayed just outside the door, watching Derek and Emily as they changed the baby. The dog sniffed at the door threshold and then looked up when the baby made a shrill noise. The canine was clearly confused by what to make of the new life form in their home. "Come here, boy," Derek beckoned to the giant Labrador. Campbell retreated a few steps. "Come on… he's just a baby, you big baby," Derek taunted.

The dog sniffed some more and paced. He finally entered the room, slowly, quietly edging toward the spot where Derek was standing. Emily took the baby and sat down in the wooden rocking chair Derek had assembled for his wife. She rocked gently and motioned Campbell to come closer. They'd been worried for a while what the dog's reaction would be to the baby, but they tried to take things slow. "It's okay, Campbell," Emily called to the lab.

Eventually Campbell came to sit down near her feet. He stayed there for a long time just watching as Emily rocked and eventually nursed the baby. When she moved PJ to her shoulder to burp him, Campbell got to his feet. His tail wagged anxiously back and forth. Derek calmed him down, encouraging him to sit again. Campbell complied but his tail slapped loudly against the nursery floor. As Emily coaxed a burp from the newborn and resettled him in her lap, she leaned forward a little and placed the baby's head near Campbell's snout. "You want to smell him?" she asked. "You better get used to him, because he's not going anywhere."

He was amazingly calm as he sniffed all around the baby, managing not to touch the boy. Campbell then curled up at Emily's feet, seemingly content for the moment that the newborn wasn't going to disrupt his life too much. Derek crouched down by the dog and scratched behind his canine friend's ear. "Just wait until the little guy starts crawling. Then he'll be a lot of fun for you to play with. But you'll have to be gentle," he informed the dog.

"I think they're going to get along just fine," Emily replied.

The sound of the front door opening and closing was followed by a flourish of noise and footsteps which echoed through the house. "Is he home?" Michelle called from down the hall.

Derek stuck his head into the hall and put a finger to his lips. "You need to be a little quieter, please. We're hoping to get the baby to sleep."

"Sorry," Michelle hugged her father and then headed straight toward the baby. Three days ago in the hospital she'd been somewhat reluctant to even look at the baby, now she seemed ready to pounce on the poor little guy. "He looks even cuter now," she insisted. "And he's grown."

Emily chuckled softly. "You might be right," she agreed, hoping to foster good relations between all three siblings. "He's certainly been eating plenty," she noted, having bravely decided to nurse the baby. She was thankful the results had been quite good so far. Ellie came into the room a moment later, and Emily instinctively knew the girl had taken the time to put away her things in the bedroom. Whereas Emily was also sure to find Michelle's stuff, from their three day stay with Garcia and Kevin, somewhere at the bottom of the stairs. "Did you two have a fun time?" Emily asked the girls.

"Yep," Ellie replied as she sat down in front of the rocking chair and patted Campbell's belly. "We drank sparkling cider at midnight on New Year's, and watched a movie."

"We were up until 3am!" Michelle excitedly added.

"I hope you got some sleep the last two nights," Derek said.

Ellie nodded. "We did."

"Next year, can we take PJ to Sea World in California for New Year's?" Michelle asked. "I know we couldn't go this year and that's okay, because having PJ is a much better present for Christmas and New Year's. But, I think we should keep the tradition and take him to the park where we first really became a family, like Ellie said the other day. And now we can have PJ's birthday on the beach, because it's on New Year's Eve. Wouldn't that be fun?"

The somewhat sleep weary parents each shrugged and half-way nodded, too tired to disagree at the moment. "We'll see," Emily settled on an ambiguous answer. Next year's New Year's location was about the last thing she wanted to worry about at the moment.

"Why don't you two," Emily wagged a finger between the two girls. "Go put your stuff away, dirty clothes in the hamper, and the rest in your room where it belongs," she instructed, looking mainly at Michelle. "Then I will make us all some pancakes. Deal?"

Michelle jumped to her feet. "With chocolate chips?"

"Sure," Emily nodded.

"Deal," the younger girl said before dashing off to do as her mother asked.

Ellie was a little slower to leave, giving her mother a kiss and her dad a hug. "I'm glad we're all home now," she smiled.

"Me, too, kiddo," Derek tousled her hair and sent her out of the room. "You sure you're up for pancake making?" he asked his wife. "I can do it if you want," he offered. "You should be taking it easy, the doctor said to rest," Derek reminded her. "I know you want to be supermom, but you don't have to start yet."

She shook her head and got to her feet. "I'll rest later, promise," Emily replied as she handed the baby off to him. "Actually, I'm probably going to fall into a heap in a few hours and you'll have to do the feedings and diaper changes all day long. Or you'll have to at least prop me up enough to nurse the baby," she chuckled. "But right now, I really want to do this for the girls," she let him know. "I want to start the year off right, and I want to spend as much time with the four…" Campbell sat up and actually growled a little as she spoke the number. "Sorry," Emily patted the dog's head. "I want to spend as much time with the _five_ of you as I can before I head back to work in a few months."

"Do you know how much I love you?" Derek asked as he stood in front of her, the baby asleep between them.

"No," Emily smiled, teasingly. "Tell me."

He showed her instead, lowering his lips to hers. Every kiss between them, no matter how comfortable or routine, was ripe with new promise.

* * *

**End**


	100. Love

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to the TV series, _Criminal Minds_.

* * *

**Love**

By  
N. J. Borba

* * *

"Emily," Derek tried to catch his wife's attention as the music swelled and the graduates began to walk toward their seats in the front rows.

She had her camera poised and ready to catch the perfect shot of Michelle as she walked down the center aisle in her blue and gold robe and cap. But Emily heard her husband whispering loudly in an attempt to get her attention. Her dark eyes shot him a scowl as she held the camera aloft. "I'm not missing this," she growled. "What?"

His eyes followed the line of white plastic chairs to where their seven year old son was planted on the grass. The knees of his new khaki pants were already stained a deep green and his backside was pushed into the air as he carefully inspected something beneath his Grandma Liz's seat. Campbell was right beside him, collared and leashed, lashed to Derek's chair but standing guard where PJ resided. Emily watched as her son sat back a moment later, looking triumphant with a large black ant cupped in his hands. She shook her head at the boy, used to his disinterest in anything not related to bugs or animals. Although, whereas his sisters preferred sea creatures, PJ adored all things that crawled, jumped and slithered. Emily shrugged in response to her husband's questioning eyes.

"I've already tried my best, but you know how he is," Morgan whispered. "It's your turn," he concluded.

"Fine," she dropped the camera into Derek's hands. "Just make sure they're not blurry like last year," Emily instructed, resigning herself to the fact that she was only going to see her daughter walk into the graduation via camera stills, much the same as it had been for Ellie's graduation the year before. With that compromise set in her mind, compromise being something she'd learned a great deal about after nearly eight years of mothering three children, she got down to her son's level and tapped him on the shoulder to gain his attention.

PJ grinned brightly as he faced her and let the ant scurry away. _Mommy, I think there's a whole colony of ants here_, the boy expertly signed the words to her, something he'd been doing since he was six months old.

Emily couldn't help recall the day, six weeks after his birth, when they'd found out about PJ being deaf. Due to the bruising he'd sustained in utero they hadn't performed his newborn hearing test in the hospital after his birth. Rather, they'd waited for his ear to heal. The news had been a shock, to say the least. And Emily had blamed herself for nearly a year until she'd done enough research to know that the doctors hadn't been lying when they told her it wasn't due to anything she'd done, not even prolonging her labor in the hopes of doing things naturally. PJ had been deaf from the moment of conception, one of many birth defects that didn't show up on any prenatal care screening.

Derek had accepted it almost without question, quickly enrolling himself and the girls in sign language courses. Emily had been a little slower in joining in, stuck in denial for a while. But she'd easily caught up, already having a predisposition for language learning. In fact, she had surpassed them all with her voluminous sign language vocabulary. Even though Derek had been the kids' primary caregiver over the years while she worked, Emily's dedication to her children was second to none. She and Derek had also discussed the possibility of a cochlear implant for PJ, at length. Finally they'd decided to leave it up to their son when he became an age old enough to choose for himself.

_That's great, buddy_, Emily signed back. _But you really need to pay attention to the ceremony, okay? This is Michelle's very important day_.

"He's not bothering anything," Liz spoke up. She signed the words as well, having learned along with the rest of her family. She'd also gained a serious soft spot for her grandson over the years. Emily often referred to the way her mother treated the boy as something far more than spoiling.

Emily sighed. "He needs to learn to pay attention," something the boy's first grade teacher had already discussed with them on several occasions.

_It's boring_, PJ replied. _I can't understand any of it_, he lamented.

Pulling that card was a dirty trick, and Emily decided not to let it fly this time. "Your sister is going to give a very important speech, and she'll be signing it as well," Emily whispered as she signed. They always liked to reinforce lip reading as well as signing. She watched her son as he pouted for a moment. He still looked a great deal like his father, though his eyes and hair favored her more than Derek. "Come on, you can sit on my lap," she offered.

The boy finally agreed and followed her back to their seats. He settled onto his mother's lap and they both watched as Michelle walked by before taking her seat. The girl signed, _I love you_, to the large group that had gathered on her behalf. To Emily's immediate right sat Derek on an aisle seat. All the BAU was seated in the row behind, or almost all it seemed. To her left sat Ellie and Marty, recently engaged to be married, though she and Derek had strictly forbid that from happening until Ellie graduated from college. Beyond Ellie and Marty sat Emily's parents and Derek's mother and sisters. All together they took up the better part of two rows.

As the principal, class president and head of the school district spoke, Emily's mind took a walk down memory lane. Most of it was happy memories, although there had been some ups and downs with Ellie and Marty as they'd both started sprouting hormones. There'd also been a small period of rebellion with Michelle during those first moody teenage years. And of course PJ had kept her and Derek hopping since the day he'd learned to crawl. Thankfully Campbell had taken it upon himself to become the boy's protector. He'd become a certified working dog when PJ turned a year old, and the two of them had been joined at the hip ever since.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to introduce this year's class valedictorian," the principal announced. "Michelle Morgan."

Michelle stood and received a round of applause and several whoop-like cheers from fellow class members. She had become quite a popular fixture at the school as head of the drama club, among several other groups. She wasn't a little girl any more either. Her hair was shorter, reminding Emily of the haircuts they'd all gotten that Christmas in solidarity with Anna's cancer treatment hairdo. "Are you gonna cry like last year?" Derek asked in a hushed tone as he grasped his wife's hand.

Ellie was a very bright young woman, but she hadn't made valedictorian like Michelle. Nonetheless, Emily had cried like crazy. Maybe because she'd been the first baby to leave the nest. Even though Ellie and Michelle had both been far beyond the baby stage when they'd come to live with Emily and Derek, Emily still thought of them as her baby girls. And letting go was hard. She shrugged. "Maybe," the word was barely audible as she already felt a tear slide down her cheek.

PJ wiped the tear from his mother's face. _Love you_, he signed.

Emily grinned. "You are never graduating," she said as she signed to the boy.

"Welcome parents, friends and all those who have helped us along the journey that brought us here today," Michelle began, signing the words as she spoke. It had become second nature to all of them, and she knew her little brother was in the audience watching. "A lot of class speakers talk about the future, and try to impart some nugget of wisdom they believe in. Well, we all know the future will hold endless possibilities for us. So, instead, I'd like to take this time to thank all the people in our lives who've helped us get here; the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and siblings who loved us. I think that love is the one thing that really helped us make it this far.

"When I was seven I watched my father die and when I was eight I witnessed my mother slip out of this world as well," Michelle continued. "And if it hadn't been for my aunt and uncle, the people I call mom and dad, I probably wouldn't be here right now talking to all of you. They loved and supported me, even when I probably was a pain in the butt sometimes. And I know each one of us has had someone that loved and cared about us. Maybe you're saying, no, I had no one but myself. I actually know that for a few of you that is the case," she acknowledged. "But in that case, it was you who loved yourself enough to get this far in life.

"We will become a lot of different things after we leave here today, but we are nothing without love," she nodded her head, believing the words she spoke with all her heart. "And my wish for this class, even more so than to become doctors and lawyers, is to share the love we have within us. I hope we all shape someone else's life as profoundly as we have been shaped by those who love us. That is the greatest knowledge I have to impart upon you all," she concluded.

The tears flowed freely as Emily held tight to her son. They only continued as the principal began to call out the students names, one by one. She watched bleary-eyed as the young women and men walked on stage and received their diplomas, or at least the covers which would be filled by proper diplomas sent in the mail. When the man at the podium reached the M section, Emily felt Derek reach over and take her hand again. He'd done it last year as well, when they'd called out Ellie's name. As big and tough as he liked to think himself, he was just as emotional as she was when it came to their kids.

"Michelle Elizabeth Morgan…"

A wave of cheers went up from the row behind them; JJ with Will and Henry, Garcia and Kevin, Hotch and Jack, Reid and even Rossi, all cheering with gusto. Then there was Fran who put both fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. Liz who clapped until her hands nearly chaffed, and Joe who'd kept his promise to get better and watch his grandkids grow up. Little PJ thrust his palms into the air, giving his sister a high-five from afar, something he'd shared with the girls since he'd been a baby. Derek and Emily cheered quietly, huddled together.

Emily couldn't help recalling the day she'd described to her sister about Michelle's graduation. And here they were, a gorgeous sunny day, outdoors while they called Michelle's name. And Anna had been right about the Morgan part, of course. The one difference between that fantasy day and the real one was the boy seated on her lap. But Emily was pretty sure Anna had somehow had a hand in that as well. "She did it," Emily whispered, so proud she thought she might burst.

"Yeah, she did," Derek echoed with equal notes of pride.

There were several more names called and a final, short speech from their principal as he declared them graduates. The kids erupted into cheers, tossing their caps into the air. It was about as perfect a day as possible. Emily finally set PJ free when the ceremony was over. He and Campbell returned to the hunt for ants while Emily hugged Ellie. "It seems like just yesterday it was you up there," Emily said.

Ellie smiled and handed her mother a tissue. "I can't wait until three years from now. You're gonna be a complete mess at my college service, aren't you?"

"Yes, and you're just going to have to deal with it," Emily returned with sass.

The girl smiled again as she hugged her mother. "Gladly."

Michelle worked her way through the sea of people, chatting with her friends along the way. Then she embraced her BAU family, most she referred to as auntie or uncle. After that she hugged Sarah and Desiree then moved on to her grandparents. Even Marty got a hug and Ellie received the longest one yet. PJ endured a quick embrace and then Michelle was standing in front of her parents. "So," the girl grinned. "I'm all grown up now, a graduate."

"No, you're still my little sweetness and always will be," Derek replied as he wrapped her up in his bear-hug embrace. He kissed her temple then let her go. "Don't be so quick to grow up," he chuckled. It was the same thing he told all three of his kids, time and time again.

"Okay," she agreed before focusing on Emily. Michelle's eyes filled with tears as she watched her mother. "Stop crying, it's contagious," the girl scolded.

Emily bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, chaton," she sniffed, pulling Michelle close. "Your mom is so proud of you. You know that, right?" Emily whispered.

"Of course I know that," Michelle whispered back. "Because she just told me," the girl insisted.

The young graduate broke free from her mother and focused on PJ again. She and Ellie began the arduous task of coaxing their little brother away from the bugs he'd rediscovered on the green lawn. Finally they won him over with the promise of cake and the three of them led the way toward the reception area. Derek and Emily remained for a while. They sat back down on the white chairs and held each other's hand. "She's really matured into an amazing young woman," Emily finally managed to speak, tear-free.

"It seems to run in the family," Derek nodded as he lovingly caressed her cheek. "Because you've certainly matured nicely."

"The older you get, the cornier you get," she shook her head. They both had more wrinkles that ten years ago, but their personalities hadn't changed much. Emily liked to think that their banter kept them young at heart.

He didn't give up so easily. "The older you get, the prettier you get."

"Oh, flattery will get you many wonderful things," Emily caved.

"There's only one wonderful thing I want," he winked playfully, still fit as the day they'd met. "You in my bed," he raised a suggestive eyebrow.

A bark of laughter escaped her lips. "The older you get, the hornier you get," Emily playfully swatted his chest.

"But you love me anyway," Derek insisted.

"I do," she agreed.

* * *

**End**

**Well, there you have it... 100 completed stories! Some sad, some happy, and many sappy. I enjoyed writing them all, and I hope you enjoyed reading a few or all of them. Thanks so much for reading!**


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